The Mermaid's Cry
by x-The Devil's Advocate-x
Summary: When Syrena's sister saves a sailor off of Tripoli, little does she know that he'll come back to haunt her dreams eight years later.  She'll engage in barter with a pirate, sell her soul, and learn the inevitable; she was tricked.  Gilette/OC, OST
1. Prologue

**Hello everyone! *waves* So I'm starting a new fic here. This is going to take place during OST. My main character is a mermaid named Nerissa who is Syrena's sister. I'm basically going to be writing about her life and interactions with Gillette and Barbossa on their journey to the Fountain of Youth. I might also throwin a bit of romance with Syrena and Philip. :) Your reviews mean the world to me and I appreciate advice very much. My first chapter starts out in Nerissa's POV when she rescues Gillette from the hurricane off Tripoli. Hope you like it! Oh, and the song lyrics I used are from "The Mermaid Song". **

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_And now we dance_  
_We dance across the oceans floor_  
_Below our troubles, our cares_  
_They crush beneath our waltz_  
_And I'm hiding from the cold_  
_The water it keeps me warm_  
_And oh this trance, the dance_  
_Is making my head spin_

The waves surged and crashed above us. A storm was brewing, but we didn't care. Why should we? We lived under the water, not above it like the humans. Mermaids were not suppose to care for humans. We were suppose to ignore them, but if they caused us trouble, we would attack them. In the last five years, mermaids had started being hunted by the humans. Now, it was only expected of us to attack them. They were our enemies.

Of course, mermaids weren't vicious in general. I had a sister and a merman that I had become close to over the years. My sister was Syrena and was also my best friend. We told each other all our darkest secrets and shared the latest gossip together. The two of us were quite similar; both of us weren't as vicious as the other mermaids. And possibly deep within us, we both dreamed to be like the humans.

As we swam about beneath the waves, I couldn't help but notice there was a ship above us. It was large and was painted bright colors. I could tell that it was a ship from the navy and not a pirate ship. My eyes drifted upwards and I found myself looking at the ship.

"What are you looking at?" Syrena asked with raised eyebrows. She followed my gaze and said, "Oh."

"Don't you feel the slightest bit bad for them?" I asked Syrena, still looking up at the ship above us. "They'll all drown in a matter of minutes."

Knowing I was referring to the people on the ship, Syrena nodded and replied, "I know. But we cannot do anything for them. You know that. If anything, we should be attacking them. That is what we do."

I gave Syrena a look and replied, "Oh, come on, I know you'd never attack an innocent sailor unless you had to." Syrena stayed silent and said nothing. I knew I was right; Syrena and I were peaceful when it came to mermaids.

Suddenly, a beautiful mermaid called Gemma swam by. Gemma was everyone's idol. She had perfect blonde hair, blue eyes, and a perfect body. Everyone wanted to look like Gemma.

"Hi Syrena!" Gemma said to my sister. "Nice day, isn't it?"

Syrena nodded and waved back as Gemma swam by with a group of mermen following her. Syrena looked after her a bit wistfully and then said, "Don't you wonder how Gemma has so many merman following her all the time? Actually, you probably don't. You have Zale, and yet, you don't even seem very interested in him."

Zale was my merman friend. He was my age and I supposed you could say he was courting me. We had kissed and done other things of the like together. Still though, I had to admit that I wanted something more. Humans had much better romance than us mermaids.

"You're thinking of the humans again, aren't you?" Syrena asked, flicking her pink tail around. "What is it that they have that we don't?"

"Well, they have legs," I said, stating the obvious.

Syrena rolled her eyes and said, "Yes, I know that. But we have legs too if we are on land for too long."

"Yes, but we're weak and can't move," I said with a frown. "Haven't you ever wanted to know what it would be like to run on the beach?"

"Perhaps, but dreaming of such things does not help us in any way," Syrena replied.

"Hm," I mused, looking up at the ship above us. It was falling apart. Sailors would be drowning any minute. As soon as the sailors were dead, there would be a mermaid feeding frenzy. I hesitated; should I go and try to rescue one of the sailors or not?

Syrena touched my arm lightly and met my green eyes with her big brown ones. She gave me a sad look and said, "You know we can't help them. Perhaps we should go so you do not have to see the inevitable."

The 'inevitable' meant the feeding frenzy that was sure to follow. I hesitated again. I felt the need to rescue at least one of the drowning sailors. It seemed too horrible just to let them drown.

"I can't help it, Syrena," I told her. "I'm going to see what I can do to help."

"Nerissa, you know that it's..." Syrena trailed off as I pumped my tail up and down and went zooming up to the surface of the water. Everyone knew better than to argue with me. I was known for my short temper.

Once I had reached the surface, I poked my head out of the water and looked around. A very strong storm was raging. It looked like a hurricane. The ship in front of me was being destructed before my eyes. It swayed from side to side while wood and other objects went flying everywhere. Many sailors were splashing around and trying to fight for their lives.

One man in particular caught my eye. I'm not sure what it was about him that attracted me to him, but I just found that I was drawn to him. With a flick of my tail, I swam in his direction and wrapped my arms around his chest. His eyes were already closed, but that didn't mean he was dead. There was an island close to our left. I would bring him there.

My decision made, I started swimming away as shrieks echoed from the way I had come. No doubt the other mermaids had noticed the drowning sailors by now. Sighing, I cradled my sailor close to my chest and sped up my swimming. In a few minutes, I had reached the island. It was rather deserted, but the sailor should be safe there.

Going on land was not the best thing for mermaids. If we got trapped half on land and half in the sea, we would dry out and die. However, if we were completely on land, we would take the human form. Knowing I was going to have to get all the way on land to save my sailor, I gave a strong kick with my tail and pushed us both onto land.

My sailor didn't move, but I started to change. My green tail was shivering and splitting. It was so strange to watch my tail turn into legs. I thought I would try and stand up later, but first I had to check to see if the sailor was alive. I crawled over to him and put ear to his chest. He didn't move and I couldn't hear anything. Oh my god, was he dead already?

Panic flashed through me and I used my long fingernails to slit through his jacket and shirt. I tossed them aside and put my head to his chest. There was a slow thumping there, but not much. Was he dying? I could not tell. Somehow, I had to help him.

As I thought about this, I remembered there was some sort of thing humans did to each other when they were dying. Didn't they try and breathe air into each other's lungs? Couldn't I try that too?

Feeling a bit nervous and excited at the same time, I leaned forward towards the man's lips. Kissing a human was just so much more exciting than kissing a mermaid. I hoped Zale wasn't going to hold this against me. But then again, this wasn't exactly a kiss, was it? It was more just me trying to save a poor sailor's life. Right?

I tipped a hand under the man's chin and brought my mouth down to his. He had smooth pink lips and little freckles all over his nose. Not sure why my heart was hammering in my chest, I leaned down and kissed him.

Sparks flew through my body as I split his lips with my tongue and started breathing air into his lungs. A tingling sensation washed over me and sent shivers down my spine. My hands crept to the man's chest. A steady thrum pulsed against my hand. Good.

Supposing that I really shouldn't be kissing him unless it was necessary, I slid off of him and sat on the sand, examining my legs. I smiled happily to see that I could wiggle my toes. Perhaps I could stand too? Taking a deep breath, I tried to get to my feet and...

Thump. I fell over immediately. So much for that. Syrena was wrong; being human was very different from being a mermaid. There were so many more things you could do as a human. Being a mermaid was simply boring. Deciding not to try standing again, I sat by my sailor's side and told his unconscious figure all about me. I told him what I liked to do, what my name was, and I asked him questions.

It didn't do either of us much good, but I liked to think that my sailor knew a bit about me. After the storm cleared, I continued sitting by his side. I wanted to see him open his eyes to make sure he would be alright.

Suddenly, that strange wig on his head caught my attention. Why did humans wear them? They were strange. Perhaps they wore wigs if they were bald? Curious, I flicked the wig off with my fingers. The man had bright red hair that shimmered in the sun. Definitely not bald. Wanting to get a better look at him, I crawled forwards and looked at him.

In that moment, the man's eyes flickered open to reveal deep brown orbs that I immediately got lost in. I think we scared each other because we just stared at each other for a long few minutes. Abruptly, I realized I was naked and that humans did not see each other naked. Doing my best to cover my body, I crawled back to the ocean's edge.

"Wait!" a voice called after me. I would've loved to stay, but I could not. Humans and mermaids could not mix. I could rescue a sailor now and then, but that was it.

I dove back into the water and with a flick of my tail, I was gone. This was how my obsession with humans began. I continued to save many a sailor over the next eight years, but that first sailor always remained a clear image in my mind. Maybe he remembered me too.

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	2. Toast, Visions, & Daydreams

_Thank you all for the wonderful reviews! I did not expect to get so many and this was a wonderful surprise! Alright, so the previous chapter was the prologue. This is chapter one and takes place eight years later, during the OST times. I'll be switching POVs from Nerissa, Gillette, Barbossa, and Syrena. This chapter is in Gillette's P.O.V._

_**Hopeless-romance45:** Thanks so much! It was your awesome idea, actually. :3_

_**Romeondjuliet4-ever:** Glad you liked it! And first reviews, ftw. :D_

_**Destinyintertwined:** Thanks for taking the time to read this! Sorry about it being vague. The previous chapter was kind of like a prologue and was probably a bit hard to follow. I hope you keep reading!_

_**Running-blue:** I really appreciate your review! I agree it is a bit fast-paced and I will do my best to slow it down. Please keep reading. ;3_

_**StoryReader888**: Aw, your comment made my day, thanks so much! Barbossa will be in this quite a bit and he's a pirate, so hopefully you'll continue to like it._

_**Jojo:** OMG, I'm so glad you're reading this! *sends lots of hugs* It was hopeless-romance's idea, actually. She's amazing with ideas! Ikr? The mermaids were totally awesome! Lol, your English is fine, don't worry about it. And she save Fluffy. I know, you're so surprised. =P Like nobody knows that I like him. *smiles sarcastically* Please keep reading? :D_

_**Poty90: **Thanks so much!_

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**Chapter I**

_You say you won't go with me  
The sun and the water bring you  
The only air I need  
_

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The sunlight streamed in through my window, illuminating the whole room. I glared at the window in annoyance and threw my pillow over my head. It didn't do me much good. I was already awake and would most likely not be able to fall back asleep. Sighing, I slipped out of bed and went straight to the kitchen. My hand ran over the familiar marble of the counter top and came to rest on the bag of bread I had bought only yesterday. My hands moved absentmindedly as they took out bread from the bag and grabbed the jar of jelly.

As I spread jelly on the bread, I couldn't help but feel the slightest bit sad. I wouldn't be here much longer. King George had orders for all of us navy men to return to Great Britain as quickly as we could. Since we were king's men, all of us navy officers were forced to do as he said. Typically, this was not a bad thing, but I had an ominous feeling about going to Great Britain. A knot formed in my stomach whenever I thought of it

Not wanting to ruin my toast and jam with with these thoughts, I plopped down on a chair in the parlor and gazed outside. I only had two days left here. What would happen after that? King George had not told us any reasons as to why we were to go to Great Britain. There had been no explanatory words or explanations. I was left in complete oblivion.

Once I had finished eating, I went back to the bedroom to change. I tugged on the typical navy uniform and then peered in the mirror. My dark eyes were a bit puffy, an obvious sign that I hadn't been sleeping well. Also, my strawberry-blonde hair was sticking up in every which direction. Thank goodness it wouldn't matter since I was required to wear a wig. I was a bit upset because our wigs had changed. They went from white to gray with a long curly ponytail. It looked almost feminine, but there was nothing I could do about it. Shooting the wig a mutinous glance, I crammed it on my head along with my hat before going to the door.

My feet led me straight to the ship that we were to sail to England. Of course, I almost did get sidetracked by the smell of cream puffs. Somehow, I managed to resist. Looking up at our new ship, I found that I felt proud of it. I had helped to assemble it and it was without doubt one of the finest ships in the royal navy.

"Good morning, Lieutenant," my best friend and fellow Lieutenant, Theodore Groves, greeted me.

"Good morning, Mr. Groves," I replied with a nod in his direction. "How are you this fine morning?"

"Just fine, thank you," Theodore said, looking up the ship as he started up the ramp that led to the deck. "How about yourself? You look quite tired. Did you sleep poorly?"

"Perhaps," I said, following Groves up to the deck. The men were already testing the rigging and inspecting the sails. We would be leaving even sooner than I had thought.

I added in an afterthought to Groves, "I am a bit wary of this mission."

I was hoping Groves would laugh and say that I was being silly, but he did not. No, instead, Groves bit his lip and looked down at the ground. Finally, he said, "I feel the same way, actually. What I do not care for is the fact that we do not know who our captain will be."

Until Theodore mentioned it, I hadn't thought of this fact before. Licking my lips nervously, I looked up at Groves and asked, "The letter from King George did not tell you that?"

"No," Theodore replied, shaking his head. "The letter merely said that we were to sail the Providence to England, nothing more and nothing less."

Hm. That wasn't exactly good news. Not knowing who our captain would be seemed to be an ill omen. Our captains had seemed to get worse and worse as time had passed. Commodore Norrington had been a vigilant man, but some of his decisions had been made only for his own profit. For example, all of us men were forced to fight a large group of cursed pirates just so that the Commodore could marry the woman he wanted. The irony of this was that even after the battle was won, the Commodore never ended up marrying Elizabeth Swann. No, he died a year later on the Flying Dutchman.

In truth though, despite his rash decisions, I had liked the Commodore. He had seemed like a good man and had treated his men kindly. Our second captain was Lord Beckett. He was a ruthless leader and was willing to sacrifice anything and anyone for his own benefits. I hadn't been on the Endeavor, our flagship, when Lord Beckett had led an attack against the pirate lords. Regardless, I still knew the outcome. The Endeavor had sank and only a few men, Theodore included, had escaped.

What should I expect from this new leader? I would like to have a captain like Commodore Norrington, but have him make wiser choices. Then again, why couldn't Theodore be promoted to captain? He had served the crown well and...

Theodore's voice broke into my thoughts as he said, "But of course there is nothing to worry about. I'm certain that King George has chosen a suitable captain to lead our expedition."

Our expedition to where exactly? It was making me nervous to not know where we were going. Sighing, I stated, "I hope we don't have a captain who decides to lead us through a hurricane."

Commodore Norrington had done that once. We had been in pursuit of a pirate called Jack Sparrow, and instead of sailing around a brewing hurricane, we had sailed right through it. Needless to say, that did not go well. Our ship had been destructed in the hurricane and only the Commodore and I had survived.

"I'm quite certain that we won't have a captain who leads us through a hurricane," Theodore told me firmly. Abruptly, his eyebrows raised and he questioned, "How did you manage to survive, Gillette? I never asked you."

I didn't answer Theodore right away. All I remember from the hurricane was a lot of wind, lots of water, and the ship falling apart. I must've passed out, because when I woke, I was lying on the beach of a little island. The next part of the story is a bit strange. Personally, I think what I saw next was just a result of my imagination running away with me.

When I awoke, a beautiful woman was staring into my eyes. Her naked body was an ivory shade, her hair a flaming shade of copper, and her eyes were like emerald gemstones. We had stared at each other for a few minutes before the woman had turned and slipped into the water. Her legs seemed to fuse together and what I saw next was a gorgeous green tail. The woman was not a woman at all; she was a mermaid.

I had called after her, but she had disappeared with a flick of her tail and I had never seen her again. As I had said before, this little vision of mine had probably been nothing more than a fantasy. I had always found mermaids beautiful; who didn't? It only made sense that I could have a short dream or vision of one after nearly drowning.

"Gillette?" Theodore's voice broke into my memories. "Are you alright?"

Realizing that I had never answered his question, I blushed and said, "Yes, yes, I'm fine. I honestly don't know how I survived the hurricane. All I remember is being washed up and awaking on some strange island."

"Hm," Theodore mused. "You're a lucky man. I am going to check the mast."

There were probably things I should've been doing, but for some reason, I found myself walking towards the side of the ship. I stopped there and looked out over the ocean. The cerulean expanse seemed to go on forever. It was so clear and unpolluted and...wait. Maybe it was not so unpolluted. I saw something coppery bobbing up and down in the waves.

Wondering what exactly I was looking at, I leaned over the side of the ship and noticed the coppery thing was coming closer. As it continued to approach the ship, I realized that it was not a "thing" at all. No, it was someone's head. The person emerged slightly out of the water, just enough for me to see her eyes. They were a deep, captivating green.

Our eyes locked and I knew that she had seen me. Her eyes wandered up and down my body before she disappeared below the waves. Slightly disappointed, I turned away only to see a green tail flicking up out of the water. Wondering if I was daydreaming, I turned back towards the water and blinked. Green eyes appeared out of the water again. This time, a face came up as well.

The face that looked at me was beautiful and all too familiar. It was the woman who had rescued me from the hurricane off Tripoli. Wait. That was impossible. This woman was not really here. I was just seeing fantasies of her after thinking about her earlier. That had to be it.

I started to turn away, but then there was a voice in my head. It said, _Don't leave_. It was very pathetic of me to listen to voices in my head, but I did just that. I turned back around and chose not to leave. The mermaid woman emerged a bit more out of the water. I could see her shoulders now. Her skin was creamy and smooth. I doubt she had a single flaw on her body. I hoped she would jump out of the water. I wanted to get a good look at her...

"MERMAID!" a voice yelled from next to me. Looking over to my right, I saw Charles, the new deckhand. Charles wasn't the brightest of fellows and was quite young. Nonetheless, he had been accepted into the navy and here he was ruining my special moment.

There were many stories and rumors about mermaids. Some said that a kiss from a mermaid would bind you to her for forever. Others said that mermaids were deadly creatures and would snatch a sailor off a ship and drown him. Apparently, Charles had heard the latter rumor.

Grabbing a knife from his belt, Charles pulled his hand back before throwing the knife at the mermaid's chest. I heard a scream in my head as the mermaid locked eyes with me once more. The look in her eyes cleared my mind of anything but her. She looked hurt and it was as if she wanted something from me. Did she want me to protect her?

In a flash, she was gone and the knife landed in the water where she had been moments earlier. Young Charles continued to yell "MERMAID!" at the top of his lungs. It was only a matter of minutes before Theodore came to my side and asked questioningly, "Was there really a mermaid, Gillette?"

I paused and thought about this. It was simply too ironic that the mermaid that had rescued me eight years ago had appeared right before my eyes only a moment ago. Yet, it did seem odd that Charles had seen her too. Since I had always been one to scoff at rumors of mermaids, sea nymphs, and the like, I shook my head and said, "No, Sir."

Theodore shot an annoyed look at Charles and waved him off to a different side of the ship. Charles went, but protested all the way that he had seem a mermaid. Once Charles was gone, Theodore stood next to me and asked, "Are you certain that you're alright? You look like you've seen a ghost."

"Yes, I'm fine," I replied to Theodore with a short nod. Theodore gave me a suspicious look, but nodded and went to check the rigging. Before I turned away from the side of the ship, I swore I saw another flash of green.

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	3. Knives, Fantasies, & The Visit

_Hello everyone! Wow, I'm so amazed at all the reviews I got for the second chapter. You are all SO nice. I couldn't be doing this without you all. *hugs* This third chapter is in Nerissa's POV. I saw OST again last night and paid close attention to the mermaids. hehe Hope you like this chapter!_

_**Hopeless-romance45:** It is sad, but the memories are good! Thanks so much for reading. :D_  
_**Romeondjuliet4-ever:** Thanks! Hehe, ikr? I think the only reason I write is to get reviews. Lol, that sounds weird, doesn't it?_  
_**Annabeth-Kahlan-Alanna-Cara:** Yay, you found my new story! I'm so glad you like it so far._  
_**Anonymous:** Aw…you have absolutely no idea how happy your comment made me. I'm so glad you've been reading my other story too! I really appreciate your comments and hope you keep reading. :3_  
_**Sirius'OnlyLove:** Ooo, a new reader! Thanks so much! *throws a party* To be honest, most of my Ocs have been blue-eyed blondes or brunettes, so I thought that it would be fun to have a green-eyed Oc for once. ;) And yay, so you like Gillette too? I've notice there's not too many Gillette fans out there. Lol Thanks again, I really hope you keep reading/reviewing. _  
_**MaisieIrvette27:** Yay, thanks for coming over and reading this story too! *hugs* Barbossa will be coming soon! I don't have much of this written out, but I'm going to work on it after this some more. I got the name Zale online after searching for mermaid names. =P I'm not the best at coming up with names, but I liked Zale a lot. Please keep reading! ;D_  
_**():** I'm so glad you're getting excited about it! I'm hoping they'll make a good couple. I'm trying to work out the dynamics between them right now. Thanks for the review!_  
_**Jojo:** Thank you! I'm so glad you like it! Hehe, I think you're right about Barbossa being captain. So you liked him in OST? I was about ready to punch him after he pushed Fluffy over at the end, but that's just because I'm a Fluffy fan girl. Lol Hope you like this chapter!_  
_**12DEHD:** Wow, I really can't tell you just how much I appreciate your comments because there are no words to describe that. ;) Nobody has told me any of those things before and you really just made my day. I spend a LOT of my time writing and hearing such wonderful comments is really inspiring. I hope you keep up your reading and keep reviewing my chapters in the meantime. _

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**Chapter II**

_I can't breath, I can't speak _  
_ I can't love anymore _  
_ My hearts to cold _  
_ So take your lies and your deceit _  
_ And run away from here _  
_ Just let me be_

"He actually threw a knife at me!" I told Syrena indignantly as the two of us swam towards the nearest mermaid cove. I had made the mistake of spying on some nearby sailors this morning and had almost gotten myself killed. There was something special about one of the sailors though. His eyes were the deepest shade of brown and I had memorized the pattern of the freckles on his nose eight years ago.

"Who threw a knife at you, Nerissa?" Syrena asked in confusion as we propelled ourselves into the center of the mermaid cove. The two of us found an unoccupied rock and perched upon it.

"This man. No, actually, he was a boy," I informed her. "I was just peeking out of the water when he came running up to the deck and started screaming 'MERMAID!' at the top of his lungs. Then he threw his knife at me."

"Poor Nerissa," Syrena sighed. "You need to stop spying oh humans. Spying on them is obviously not going to end up well for you or the humans."

"I know," I replied because I did know that. It was just that there was something that captivated me when it came to humans. They were so different than us and there was so much to explore. I wanted to know more about them, longed to have a taste of their lives even if it was just for a day.

"Nerissa, what are you thinking?" Syrena asked me with raised eyebrows. She always knew when I was up to something.

"Nothing, it's just..." I trailed off and found my cheeks blushing a shade of crimson.

Syrena shifted positions on the rocks and raised her eyebrows at me. She could always tell when I was lying. Leaning forwards, she asked, "It's just...? You can tell me. You know I'd never share a secret."

That was very true. In all the years that Syrena and I had known each other, she had never once betrayed me. Mermaids became very close friends. Our bonds were stronger than human bonds. This made me feel like I could tell Syrena what I was thinking.

"Well, you see, it's just that..." I found myself blushing again as I looked down at the pebbles along the ocean floor and added, "I think I'm in love with one of the sailors."

Syrena's eyes widened and she said, "I know you're curious about the humans, but love is a strong emotion."

"I know, I know," I replied, brushing coppery hair out of my eyes as I replied, "It's just that I feel this strange pull to him. You remember that sailor I saved off of Tripoli?"

Syrena thought, but shook her head, "No, I don't. You've rescued many sailors, Nerissa. What are you trying to say? Is this one of the sailors you saved?"

"Yes," I replied firmly. "I swear it's the man I rescued off of Tripoli. He has the exact same freckles and the exact same colored eyes as the man I saved. He looked at me, Syrena. I think he recognized me."

Syrena couldn't help but giggle at my comment. Raising her eyebrows, she said, "You actually memorized his freckles?"

I blushed again and avoided her eye as I said, "Maybe. I kissed him too."

"You what?" Syrena asked, eyes getting as big as saucers. "When did you kiss him? After you saved him?"

I nodded and said, "Um hm. He wasn't breathing, so I tried that thing that humans do to each other. You know how they breath into each other's mouths?"

"You did that to him?" Syrena said, looking shocked. I noted disapproval in her tone of voice.

"Yes, but it was only to save him," I replied. "It wasn't like I was trying to take advantage of him or anything."

Syrena remained quite for a bit and finally tilted her chin up to me and spoke simply, "I think you should go visit Marina."

I gulped and thought about this. Marina was a mermaid about twice my age. She had built a relationship with a human and had been romantically involved with him. Unfortunately, their relationship had not ended up well. The man had broken Marina's heart and had tried to stab her. Ever since then, Marina had been very depressed. She avoided contact with anyone and kept to herself.

Thinking about all this, I gave Syrena a nervous look and asked desperately, "Why Marina? You know she doesn't like company."

"I know," Syrena replied, "But you need to sort out your feelings about these humans. You have Zale. He's your partner. Do you really need more? I don't even have a partner yet. Go talk to Marina. I think it will help."

I continued hesitating, but finally decided to do as Syrena said. She was very wise and was probably right in this matter as usual. Getting up from the rock, I replied, "I'll visit her. But just so you don't get the wrong idea, I do like Zale. It's just...I don't know..."

"Come back soon," Syrena waved to me as I started propelling myself to Marina's cove. It was easy to find Marina since she never moved. Part of me was excited to see her. It would be nice to talk to someone who had felt the same infatuation with humans that I had. Of course, I was also nervous as well. The human had broken Marina's heart. She might not take too kindly to talking about him. Nonetheless, here I was at her cove already. It was worth a try talking to her...wasn't it?

Bracing myself, I swam into the cove and saw Marina tending to one of her pet crabs. Marina had a gift with animals. They all came to her and kept her company.

Clearing my throat, I smiled and said, "Hello Marina, how are you?"

Marina quickly looked up and smiled. She had shoulder-length dark brown hair, matching brown eyes, and a long blue tail. When she saw me, she waved me inside and said, "Nerissa. It's a pleasure to see you. What brings you here?"

Not quite sure how to word what I wanted to say, I just got straight to the point and mumbled, "Well, there's this man..."

"You fell in love," Marina said, sadness quickly flooding her eyes. I nodded in response to her question, finding it surprising how she already knew what I was going to say. Marina sighed and looked at the crab in her palm, saying, "It happens sometimes. Humans and mermaids are not suppose to mix, but that does not mean that we don't wish to mingle with them."

I nodded and said, "There's this one sailor. He's just...I don't know. There's something about him that draws me to him, but I don't know what that could be. Is that normal?"

Marina thought and said, "Perhaps. Did you mark him?"

"Did I what?" I asked, narrowing my eyes. I had never heard the term "mark" before and had no idea what that meant.

"Mark him," Marina replied wisely. "You've never heard the term before?" I shook my head, so Marina continued, "Marking makes a sailor belong to you in a sense. Did you do anything intimate with him?"

"Um..." I said, blushing a fiery red. "I kissed him."

"That's the same as marking," Marina said. "He's yours now, in a sense. You won't be able to fall in love with anyone else now."

"Oh," I said, thinking about this and frowning. "I don't think I like that very much. So what about him? Does he love me back?"

"Life is not all fun and games, Nerissa," Marina said with a sigh. "And no, he most likely does not love you back. That is the unfortunate thing about marking. It takes away your heart and gives you nothing in return. The only positive is that he is now your sailor and nobody else can mark him."

"Hm..." I mused. "But he could fall in love with me, couldn't he? What about the man you fell in love with? Didn't he love you?"

Marina looked pained and I suddenly remembered that maybe I shouldn't have brought up this topic. Nevertheless, Marina answered and said, "I think he thought he was in love with me. Perhaps it was more lust than actual love though..."

She trailed off and I found that I was dying to know what had happened to her and her lover. When she didn't speak for a few moments, I finally asked the question I had to ask, "What happened to the two of you?"

"My story starts out like yours," Marina explained. "I rescued him. His name was Andrew. Unlike you, I stayed by his side when he woke. We talked and that was the beginning spark of our relationship. After that, we continued to visit each other until our bond grew stronger and stronger. I spent most of my time on the beach with him. Then there was the day when I finally gave myself up to him. When we were done, he pulled out a knife and tried to kill me."

"Oh," I breathed. "I'm so sorry." There wasn't really much more to say to her than that. The story had been simple. After Andrew had taken Marina's gift, he had simply wanted to dispose of her. He had not loved her, but had used her.

"Don't be sorry," Marina said. "I was a fool in love and couldn't see him for what he was. However, I will use my experience to keep someone else from getting hurt. You, my friend, should have nothing more to do with this human of yours."

Ugh. I had mostly expected her to say that, and yet, I still had hoped that she wouldn't. There was something within me that burned to know more about my sailor and human life in general. The longer I stayed underwater as a mermaid, the worse the burning became. Regardless, I had to pretend that I would stay away from humans. Well, at least while I was with Marina anyways.

"Of course I will have nothing more to do with him," I said in what I hoped sounded like a confident voice.

Marina smiled at my words and shook her head sadly, replying, "Do not say what you do not mean. You have every intention to go back after this man, don't think I don't know what you're thinking. All I can offer you is my concern. I can only wish that you have marked a man who is not as cruel and self-centered as mine. Go now, child."

Wondering how Marina could read my mind like that, I nodded and started swimming towards the entrance of the cove. Before I could swim away, I found one more question on my lips. Turning back to Marina, I said, "Your sailor...what happened to him?"

There was a long silence that could've been cut with a knife. Finally, Marina looked up at me and said simply, "I killed him. It was either him or me. I was angry at the way he had used me. I don't regret my decision."

Trying not to act too shocked, I simply nodded and swam silently out of the cove. Little did I know that it would someday come down to me holding a knife to my lover's throat.

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_Review please? :)_


	4. Insomnia, Wounded, & Dreaming

_Good morning everyone! Wow, I'm so thrilled with how many people are reading this! I love you all! *hugs everyone* I think checking my reviews is my favorite part of the day. =P Hope you like this next chapter! This is in Gillette's P.O.V._

**_Jojo: _**_Yep, she marked him! And oh god, I think I've seen it four times now. I always leave before the ending though so I don't have to watch Fluffy and Happy get murdered. How many times have you seen it? Oh, and I'm in the center time zone. :)_

_**X: **Aw, thanks so much! I'm glad you're reading it. _

_**Romeondjuliet4-ever: **Yeah, this is going to be similar to the HCA version, but I have a weird ending I came up with so that it fits OST and all. Thanks SO much for taking the time to read this for me. :D_

_**AsininityJackal: **Wow, thanks so much for your compliment. It actually made me smile over here. lol Please keep reading! :)_

_**SgtPepperLonelyHearts: **Thanks so much for reading this! Haha, Potc 4 made me like mermaids more again too. Nerissa and Gillette will meet in this chapter. *hints* Hehe, I totally agree. Nobody seems to write about poor Gillette but me. =P Btw, LOVE the avatar! Philip and Syrena are so cute!_

_**SevenSeasPirateQueen: **Um...*goes on google and searches it* It's by Illbreak I guess. Never heard of them, but I liked the song lyrics. lol_

_**12DEHD: **Aw...your reviews always get me blushing over here. =P And it totally makes sense! Thank you so much. I always look forward to your reviews, you know. Hehe, I like being a healthy virus! That can be a good thing. Please keep reading! :D_

_**PizzaAndTacosAndCheese: **LOL, he sounds like an evil guy! I will send Norrie after him for you. *kicks Norrie in your direction* Thanks! I'm not always the best at cliffies, but I try to do them occasionally. =P ...wait, what? *looks nervous* Here's your update so maybe you could put that knife away...*hints*_

_**Flik: **Thanks! Glad you're liking it so far. :)_

* * *

**Chapter III**

_And I'm hiding from the pain _  
_ Oh my lover she keeps me warm _  
_ And oh this trance, the dance _  
_ Is making my head spin_

Tick, tock, tick, tock. The clock in the corner of the parlor was starting to become very disturbing. I shot it a murderous glance and did my best to ignore it. I had finished my duties on the Providence and was now relaxing at home. Well, attempting to relax at home. I was anything but relaxed at the moment. The journey to England continued to make me nervous and my vision of the green-eyed mermaid wasn't exactly helping things.

Then again, had it been a vision? It had to be, right? Mermaids did not exist. They were made up creatures that belonged in a child's storybook. They did not really exist.

Despite how I was trying to convince myself of this fact, I found that I was doubting my own reasoning. The mermaid had seemed too real and Charles had seen her too. Charles wasn't exactly the most accurate, but there was no reason for him to make up a story about the mermaid's presence. It was also strange how I felt drawn to this mermaid. It was as if I knew her like a long lost friend who was now found.

This mermaid matter was starting to make me quite uncomfortable. I couldn't sit still. Even with a blanket on my lap, a cream puff in my hand, and a cup of tea on my desk, I still was not satisfied. Something was calling to me, making me jumpy and nervous.

Alright. I would get up. Sitting still seemed to be driving me insane. Setting the cream puff and tea cup aside, I went to the bedroom and changed into some more appropriate clothes. If I was just going out to walk by the beach, there was no reason for me to wear my uniform and that horribly feminine wig. Unfortunately, that meant that I had to do something with my hair though.

I splattered some water on it and made the red strands lay flat. Well, attempted to make them lay flat. They were quite rebellious. Now dressed in a simple white shirt and gray breeches, I slipped out of the house and outside. There was a cool breeze that ruffled the hair I had just fought to lay down. Narrowing my eyes, I tried to smooth my hair and let my feet take me...

Right to the Providence. I wasn't certain what exactly I was doing here, but my feet seemed to think that this was the place to be. Looking upwards, I saw a small figure on the Providence. Bloody hell, the figure was none other than Charles. Good lord, what was Charles doing here this time of night? Did his mother not keep an eye on him at all?

Mostly, I wanted to stalk right up to Charles and asking what the hell he thought he was doing. However, even as I opened my mouth, something stopped me. I'm not certain what it was, but my mouth had already closed.

Confused at these strange impulses I had been getting lately, I quietly stood by the Providence and looked at the water below. It was very dark outside with only the moon casting a faint glow on the ocean below. Perhaps it was just my imagination playing tricks on me, but I thought that I could see a flicker of green a slight distance away.

Oh dear, this was really starting to get quite ridiculous, wasn't it? Here I was trying to make a loose peace of seaweed look like the mermaid from my dreams. Blushing, I started to turn away when...

The seaweed moved. It dipped below the surface and appeared a few feet closer to the Providence. Alright, this was definitely no piece of seaweed. Needing to know if my mind was playing tricks on me, I stepped closer to the edge of the dock. A moment later, the glinting of green scales shimmered by even closer to me.

For unknown reasons, my heart was hammering in my chest and I was forgetting to breathe. I stood very still as if I were a child trying to coax a stray cat to come and eat from my palm.

As I was thinking all this, the green disappeared and coppery hair appeared. Immense green gemstones looked right at me. If this was a fantasy, it was a very real one.

Trying to remind myself to breathe, I tried to think of what to do. Mainly, I just wanted her to come to me. But before that could happen, there was a loud war cry and something silver when flying through the air. The mermaid shrieked and ducked under the water, flicking her tail above the waves to propel herself downwards.

Her tail was not so lucky. The silver knife that had gone flying towards her head ended up landing in her tail. The water around her started turning crimson. Below the surface, I could see her twisting and writhing as she tried to get the knife out.

A loud laugh broke out from somewhere behind me. Charles' familiar voice yelled, "I got it! I got it! I killed the mermaid!"

I didn't know who exactly he was talking to. He had not seen me and nobody else was here. Nonetheless, Charles had always been a strange boy and tended to talk to himself. Today, I had a sudden impulse to go and order him to shut his mouth. Despite the fact that mermaids were known to be evil and dangerous, I had felt a jolt in my heart when the blade had pierced the mermaid's green tail.

My gaze went from Charles to the mermaid and then back to Charles again. Charles was skipping away somewhere. That was good riddance. When I turned back to the mermaid, I saw that she was swimming away towards the shallows. The poor thing still hadn't gotten the knife out of her tail. A trail of crimson in the water made her easy to follow.

With no idea as to why I was following her, I ran off the dock and went sprinting towards the beach. My mind was blank as I willed my legs to move me faster. The wind whipped by and mussed my hair, but I no longer cared about it. Only one image was in my mind; Charles' blade caught fast in the mermaid's tail.

Even though it only took minutes to reach the beach, it felt like an eternity to me. Was the mermaid alright? She wasn't dead yet, was she? I frantically scanned the shallows for any sign of her. Finally, a red pool to my right caught my attention. Knowing that it was the mermaid, I crouched on the shore and tried to think of what to do.

I had no training in how to tempt a mermaid to come to you. Should I put my hand in the water so she could sense my presence? That seemed a bit silly, but I didn't know what else to do. Therefore, I slipped my hand into the water and held it there so she could see me. Abruptly, I felt the impulse to speak to her. God, this was getting more ridiculous by the moment. I could not go around speaking to mermaids that couldn't hear me! Surprisingly enough, that's what I did.

"Can you hear me?" I asked quietly, glad that nobody was around to see me making a fool of myself. "I want to help you."

To my astonishment, the mermaid stopped twisting and turning in the water when I spoke. Very slowly, she turned in my direction and started swimming towards me. I held my breath as a pale face with huge green eyes looked up at me. Pain and distrust were held in her eyes. I could tell she was ready to swim at any moment.

Since words were failing me, I said simply, "You're hurt. I want to help you."

Green eyes blinked at me, still a shimmer of distrust in them. I locked gazes with her, trying to tell her with my eyes that I would not harm her. She seemed to get the message. With a smooth motion, she slipped her tail halfway out of the water and lay before me on her side.

I had never seen her this far out of the water before. She was simply beautiful; there were no other ways to describe her. Regardless, I could tell she was very nervous. Her chest rose and fell quickly and she was shaking.

Knowing I had to help her right away, I leaned down and reached out tentatively. My hand closed around her tail. It felt smooth and rubbery under my fingertips. Holding it still, I reached down with the other hand and grasped the hilt of the knife. Charles must have thrown hard; the knife had gone all the way through her tail.

Biting my lip hard, I pulled the knife out of her as gently as I could. Blood spurted back into the water and the mermaid whimpered slightly. As soon as I set the knife aside, I noticed that her tail continued to bleed. Fearful that she was going to bleed to death, I unbuttoned my shirt as quickly as I could. Once it was unbuttoned, I ripped it off and pressed it against the mermaid's wound.

To my relief, the bleeding lessened and the mermaid stopped shivering quite so much. Instead, she simply lay still and gazed up at me with wide eyes as I continued to hold the fabric to her tail.

As I watched her, I wondered if we could communicate somehow. Could she talk? In a quiet voice, I looked into her eyes and asked, "Do you speak?"

"I do," the mermaid replied.

Very shocked that the mermaid actually spoke, I finally decided that there was no way that this could be a fantasy. Continuing to hold her tail, I asked, "Do you have a name?"

"Nerissa," she replied.

Supposing I should reciprocate, I said, "I am-"

"Gillette," she said, cutting me off and finishing my qstatement.

Wondering how she knew my name, I raised my eyebrows and asked her, "How did you know that?"

A pink tinge came into Nerissa's cheeks and she replied, "I've been watching you."

Not sure what to say to that, I looked from her face back down to her tail. It seemed to have stopped bleeding. I asked her, "Will you be alright? Should I leave now?"

"No," was her immediate response. "Please. Stay."

I did exactly that. Tired and hurt, Nerissa blinked up at me once more before closing her eyes and lying on her side next to me. She slept for the next few hours and I stayed by her side with her tail in my hand.

My thoughts wandered as I crouched there next to her. She was such a beautiful thing. Beautiful, yet deadly. Since she was asleep, I wondered if I dared to touch her hair. Deciding to risk it, I leaned forwards and brought a hand to the coppery hair that was lying over her shoulders and hiding her breasts.

Before I could touch her, Nerissa's green eyes whipped open and she fixed me with a venomous gaze. I yanked my hand back immediately and apologized, "Sorry, I meant no harm."

Nerissa nodded and pushed herself back into the water, her tail gliding out of my hand. We stared at each other for a moment longer before I said, "Go. You must stay away from here. There are too many people. They will hunt you and kill you."

Nerissa gave me a long look before she turned and dashed away below the surface of the water. After she was gone, I couldn't help but wonder if she had ever actually been there in the first place. Turning to see that it was the crack of dawn, I figured I should probably go back to my home and prepare for the journey to England.

As I walked in a bit of a daze back to my home, I heard a familiar voice call my name, "Gillette?"

Oh damn, now was not a good time to be seen. I slowly turned around and blushed bright red to see Theodore dressed in his uniform and wearing those horrible wigs we were forced to wear. Trying to smile despite my embarrassment, I said, "Good morning, Lieutenant Groves."

Skipping the formalities, Theodore said, "Really, Gillette, shirtless and no wig? What have you been doing?"

Trying to think of some sort of excuse, I paused and finally said, "Sleepwalking." It sounded like a good excuse to my ears.

"Oh," Theodore said with a sigh. "Well, go along and get yourself ready. I cannot have you sailing to England dressed like this."

Fearing my ears were as red as my hair, I hurried back to my home and wondered if my excuse to Theodore had actually been the truth. Perhaps I had been sleepwalking and had only drempt of Nerissa.

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_Sorry, long chapter. Review please? :)_


	5. Leaving, Goodbyes, & Rumors

_Good morning everyone! How are you all this Sunday? Thank you again so much for taking the time to read this, it means a lot to me. I am going to ask for some help though. If anyone has any ideas on how to torture a mermaid, please let me know. I cannot say that I will use your ideas for sure, but if I like it, I will definitely use the idea. Thanks again everyone. :) Oh, and this is in Nerissa's POV.  
_

**_Romeondjuliet4-ever: _**_Yay, I'm so glad you like it! LOL about "hooked". =P I dunno how much longer I'm going to let her have Fluffy for...=P_

_**Sirius'OnlyLove: **I'm so glad I haven't lost you yet. =P I lose most of my readers after four or five chapters. lol And me too! Gotta love the navy men. I almost died when Happy took off his wig in OST. XD Have you seen it yet?_

**_Jojo: _**_I know, they're so cute! *squee* Ahem. =P LOL, what are you spending your money on? :P Yep, I'm in Michigan so I'm central. How about you?_

_**AsininityJackal: **Yay, you're still reading too! :D Yep, he's in two or three chapters. I tried writing in his POV, but that was too hard. lol Are you a Barbossa fan?_

**_Flik: _**_Lol, yes, I made up the cream puff thing for him. XD And yay, I'm glad you're still reading it. :3_

_**SgtPeppersLonelyHeart: **I really enjoy your reviews! They've really been making my day. *hugs* I don't like Charles either! Maybe he can fall overboard or something. *smirks* And I know, right? Gillette shirtless and no wig = yum! XD Thanks for saying you like my avi! They only last about two weeks for me, I'm already thinking I need a new one. lol Thanks for reading!_

* * *

**Chapter IV**

_Now you swim tonight _  
_ Where will you go tell me _  
_ You're drowning my inside _  
_ I'm losing control _  
_ Where will you go _  
_ I'm losing control_

"Nerissa, be reasonable!" Syrena pleaded with me. "This is your home. You cannot leave! I cannot come with you!"

I was sitting on a rock next to Syrena and had just told her my plan; I was going to follow the Providence to England. From all my spying, I had realized that Gillette and the other officers were sailing their ship to England. Apparently, they were going to be sent on a mission for King George.

"I know, Syrena, and I will miss you dearly," I said, hugging my friend tightly. "But I must go."

"No, you must not go," Syrena replied, shaking her head and swirling brown hair everywhere from beneath the waves. "This is nonsense! I cannot lose my sister. Please stay here with me. I need you."

"Please, sister, you know you'll be fine on your own," I pleaded with her. "I must do this. I need him."

"Need who?" Syrena asked in confusion. She sat next to me on the rock and took my hand, holding it tightly as if she planned to never let me go.

"The sailor," I replied to her question. "I marked him; he is mine now."

"Marked?" Syrena echoed before her face settled in comprehension. "I see. You went to see Marina, didn't you?"

I nodded and wondered how much I should tell Syrena. Finally, I told her everything about marking and the like. The only thing I didn't tell her was the end of the story when Marina had been forced to kill her lover. Unfortunately, Syrena saw through the holes in my story and expected a tragic ending.

"What happened after they made love on the beach?" she asked simply, waiting for my explanation.

I thought about lying to Syrena, but then decided that would do me no good. Sighing, I said quietly, "He tried to kill her, so she had to kill him."

Syrena shot me a meaningful look and said, "This is exactly why you should stay here with me and all of our friends. You have it all, Nerissa. You have a sister and best friend who loves you. You have many other friends and a wonderful partner. Do you really wish to leave all of this to risk a chance at some random human?"

"He is not a random human," I replied indignantly. "I marked him."

"Yes, I know," Syrena said. "Why did you have to go doing that? I always said that you saving humans would get you into trouble and now look at what has happened!"

"I don't regret it. I love him," I said flippantly.

"So you think," Syrena mumbled under her breath before her eyes traveled down my body and rested at the tip of my tail. Her eyes narrowed and she swam down to examine it, expressing, "You're hurt!"

"No, not exactly," I replied, flicking my tail out of view.

Syrena's eyes narrowed and she said, "Your sailor did this to you, didn't he? He tried to kill you."

"No, no, no," I replied dismissively. "He did nothing to me. He saved me, actually. After a different sailor threw the knife at me, he helped me get it out and stopped the bleeding."

Syrena was losing reasons to keep me at our cove. Sighing, she said, "This will not end up well, Nerissa. Mermaids and humans cannot live together. Have you ever heard of a human and a mermaid in love? No. Remember how Marina's relationship ended up? You don't want to end like that, do you? I cannot see you driving a blade through your man's heart."

To be honest, I could not see it either. If I were in the situation Marina had been in, I would've let myself be killed. Of course there was no reason to tell Syrena that though. Instead, I looked out at the sea beyond and said, "My sailor is different. He is not like Marina's sailor."

"Nerissa, please," Syrena protested with a roll of her eyes. "You cannot honestly think that men are different."

"They are different," I protested, trying to think of some sort of proof for this.

"Oh really? How are they different?" Syrena asked. "You know as well as I that they are the same. They all want your innocence. After they have taken what they want, you will be discarded aside like a piece of rubbish or you will be stabbed when you least expect it. Do not place yourself in this position, my dear sister."

"I already told you he was different," I told Syrena, not about to hear any comments against my poor Gillette.

"Tell me, did he not act interested in your body?" Syrena asked me with raised eyebrows. "Do not lie to me, you know I can tell when you are lying."

I thought about this and frowned. There had been the time where my sailor had reached out to touch my hair. I wondered if he had meant to move my hair to reveal my breasts. Frowning, I told Syrena, "Perhaps he was interested, but I was interested in him too."

Switching tactics, Syrena asked, "But what about Zale? What will he think?"

"I know not," I replied. "But he will find a new partner as do we all."

Looking saddened, Syrena asked, "Do you not love him at all? Not even after your eight years together?"

I looked at the pebbles below us and spoke from my heart as I said, "The feeling that binds us is not love. It is more like...friendship. We have been friends our entire lives. It only made sense that we would become partners."

"There is no convincing you, is there?" Syrena asked me with a solemn shake of her head. "If you have your heart set on going, you must at least say goodbye to Zale. I do not want his heart broken because you left without saying farewell."

Glad that Syrena was finally accepting the fact that I was leaving, I smiled at her and said, "Of course I will do that. I will also bid you farewell before I leave. Firstly, I will go find Zale."

With that said, I pumped my tail back and forth to build up power as I went swimming off through the cove. I wasn't sure how Zale was going to react to my news. As I have said before, mermaid relationships are not like human ones. Even if we have a partner, we flirt with other mermen or mermaids. It's just the way we do things.

When I finally found Zale, he was stringing pieces of seaweed together and was apparently making something. I swam up behind him and put my head on his shoulder affectionately as I asked, "What are you making?"

"Nerissa!" Zale smiled up at me. He had dark hair, blue eyes, and a blue tail. "I was making a necklace for you. Where have you been lately? I have not been able to find you around the cove."

Figuring that this may be a way to get straight to the point, I looked over Zale's shoulder and said carefully, "I am leaving, Zale. I am going to the waters around Great Britain."

"Great Britain?" Zale echoed in shock. "Why Great Britain? That is a very long ways away. Must you leave, Nerissa? I love you and will miss you. Syrena will miss you too."

For the first time, I found myself feeling guilty. Syrena was right; I had it all. The problem was that my heart wanted more. I had marked Gillette and would never be satisfied until I had captured his love. Casting these thoughts aside, I left my reasoning out and said, "Yes, it is unfortunate, but I must go."

Zale finished stringing seaweed together and turned towards me. Looking into my eyes, he said, "I will miss you very much, but if you feel like you must go, then I will let you. There is a rumor..."

When Zale trailed off, I raised my eyebrows at him and said, "What kind of rumor?"

Zale hesitated and finally said, "Gemma said you marked a human. I always wondered why you couldn't settle down and be happy here with me. I now know why. This is true, is it not?"

My temper flashed; how dare Gemma go around spreading vicious rumors about me? And how did Gemma know about the marking anyways? Then again, Gemma always seemed to know everything. Sighing, I looked at Zale nervously and replied, "Yes, it is true. Are you quite upset with me?"

"Upset? No," Zale said in a perfectly calm voice. "I am actually glad to know about this. I kept wondering if I was doing something wrong and that was why you never seemed to love me."

Now I was feeling really guilty. I threw my arms around his neck and said, "Oh Zale...it's not that. I do love you! I really do."

"I know," Zale said, tucking his arm around me. "But I also know that you love me as a friend and not as a partner. I will be sad to see you leave, but I know that it will be for the best. Here, take this."

Zale held out the seaweed necklace to me. It was quite pretty and looked nice against my pale skin. I let Zale slip it over my head and gave him a smile before I said, "Maybe we will see each other again sometime."

"Perhaps," Zale said, leaning forwards and brushing his lips against mine for the last time. He gave me a half-smile and said, "The best of luck to you and your human. You should go soon, Nerissa. I heard the men talking about leaving this morning."

"You were spying on them too?" I asked in surprise.

"No them," Zale replied with a little smile. "You. Go now, Nerissa."

Feeling like I was hurting Zale a lot more than he was letting on to, I waved at him and tried to paint a picture of him in my mind before I turned and went swimming back to the cove to say goodbye to Syrena. Deep inside, I had a feeling that I would see Syrena again. This would not be our final goodbye.

My eyes caught sight of her immediately as I swam into the cove. She was sitting on the rock where I had left her. There was a thoughtful expression on her face.

"I am leaving now," I told Syrena as I swam up to her and met her eyes.

Syrena nodded without saying a word. Before I knew it, we were hugging tightly. I was going to miss my sister more than I had believed. Finally, we parted. It was time for me to leave.

"Take care of yourself, Nerissa," Syrena told me, looking into my eyes with her big brown ones. "I know we will see each other again."

I nodded and failed to smile before I left her. The muscles in my mouth just wouldn't move. In all my life, I couldn't remember having been away from Syrena like this. We had been inseparable. Sighing deeply, I pushed away my last twenty-five years and swam off to a new life.

* * *

_Review? :)_


	6. Tired, Found Out, & Followers

_Wow, I can't believe I still have people reading this even on the sixth chapter. *looks astonished* Thank you so much for all your reviews! They mean the world to me. :) This chapter is in Gillette's P.O.V._

**_Romeondjuliet4-ever: _**_Lol, I probably should let them work out. But you know me, I get so jealous. =P Thanks for reading!_

_**12DEHD: **I could see that working, but I don't actually want to kill her, you know? lol_

_**Sirius'OnlyLove: **Ooo, so you liked OSt? What was your favorite part? There were a lot of funny one liners. Thanks for your review!_

_**Flik: **Aw, thanks. And omg, you're right. I knew it sounded weird for some reason. lol And thanks for those ideas, I think I'll use some of them. :D_

_**Jojo: **Lol, sometimes I like goodbyes too! =P So where do you live then? Right now, it's 2:15 PM here. Lol, well, I aim to keep my readers, but sometimes I loose them. *sadface*_

_**SithLord8665: **Aw, thanks so much for the compliment! Barbossa will be in one or two chapters now, I think._

_**AsininityJackal: **Hehe, really? How long have you liked him for? Thanks for the review!_

_**SgtPeppersLonelyHearts: **I do! I try to update everyday if I can. And oh yes, I love your reviews! Ooo, love the new avi! It's awesome. I might try to make another one this afternoon since I'm falling asleep at the moment. =P I'm glad you enjoyed the last chapter! You'll see Gillette's reaction in this chapter and hehe, it's in his POV, so he should definitely be in it. :)_

* * *

**Chapter V**

_The sun and the water bring you _  
_ The only air I need _  
_ Now I just can't believe you_

Half-asleep, I stood next to the helm with Theodore Groves and the rest of the men. We were about to set sail on our journey to England. Theodore hadn't mentioned my sleepwalking episode, and I was quite grateful for that. I had gone home, changed into something more respectable, and was now saying farewell to my home in Port Royal. I wondered if I would ever see Port Royal again.

Orders and commands were being yelled all around me, but I didn't seem to hear any of them. My mind was fuzzy and a bit blank from staying up so late last night. From next to me, I heard Theodore order, "Make more sails!"

Trying to look like I was being helpful and actually doing something, I echoed, "More sails!"

Theodore peered over at me and gave me a funny look. Frowning, he asked, "Are you feeling alright, Gillette? You're usually up and ordering everyone about at this time of morning. Today, you're just echoing my commands."

"Of course I'm just fine," I said with a firm nod. "I'm just a bit tired is all."

"Oh yes," Theodore said with a strange look in his eyes. "I wanted to talk to you about that."

Theodore glanced over his shoulder at something and then hissed, "Meet me below deck in ten minutes or so."

Not having a choice about this, I nodded and then stalked off to the corner of the ship and thought about what Theodore could possibly want to talk to me about. I hoped it didn't have anything to do with my sleepwalking, but I knew better. It would have everything to do with my sleepwalking. Theodore knew me well enough to be able to notice when I was lying or bothered by something. At the moment, I was both.

Trying to think about something else, I paid attention to the chatter next to me instead. Charles was talking animatedly to a group of young sailors who were naive enough to listen to him. Frowning, I eavesdropped as Charles said, "So then I threw back my knife, aimed, and stabbed her! There was blood all around and she died. Can you believe it? I killed a real mermaid!"

The sailors next to him looked impressed. I, on the other hand, was not. Without thinking about what I was saying, I randomly said, "You didn't kill her."

Charles gave me a look of confusion and said, "How do you know that I didn't kill her? You weren't there that night. I saw the life leave her body and her eyes glaze over. She's dead."

One thing I positively hated about Charles was his exaggerations. Firstly, I had rescued Nerissa and therefore knew she had not been killed. And secondly, there was no possible way that Charles had watched her die since I had stayed by her side on the shore late into the early morning.

"Hm. Where is the body then?" I asked Charles, raising an eyebrow.

"I...um...she was too heavy to carry so I just left her there," Charles mumbled.

"Too heavy to carry?" I replied in mock surprise. "Have you any idea idea how valuable mermaid scales are? We must go back and find her at once." Of course I had no interest in mermaid scales, but I did want to show Charles just who was in charge around here.

As Charles spluttered, footsteps came up behind me and Theodore gave me a meaningful look. Gulping, I left Charles trying to make up excuses of how seagulls had eaten the mermaid's body. Theodore led me below deck. He stepped across the clean floorboards to a cabin and opened it. We stepped inside and Theodore faced me, "Well?"

"Well what?" I asked nervously, sitting on the bed and twisting my hands together.

"Go on and tell me what happened to the mermaid then if Charles didn't kill her," Theodore said curiously.

Needing to make up a quick excuse, I said, "Good god, Theodore, you know I was just saying that to outsmart Charles. He could have killed the mermaid for all I know. Well, if there even was a mermaid."

"Really, Gillette, there is no need to lie to me," Theodore said, leaning forwards. "It all fits. I saw Charles pass by my home late last night. Then when I woke up early and go to the Providence, you were walking back from the beach shirtless and looking tired. Is it not obvious what happened?"

Gulping, I kept my eyes on the floor and said nothing. Theodore was smarter than I had thought. How had he managed to figure all of this out?

Since I was remaining silent, Theodore continued on, "You rescued her, didn't you?"

Deciding not to deny what was plain to Theodore's eyes, I nodded and said, "I did. She was dying. You should've seen her."

"I don't fully trust mermaids, although I don't have anything against them either," Theodore replied. Finally, he sighed and said, "We have a small issue now and I am not certain how to proceed from here."

Confused at what this issue could be, I raised my eyebrows and asked, "What would this issue be?"

"I think it would be easiest to show you. Come with me," Theodore said, motioning for me to follow him. Having no idea what he wanted to show me whatsoever, I stood and followed Theodore out of the cabin and back up to the upper deck. Once there, I stood by his side and asked, "What was it that you wished to show me?"

Theodore led me all the way over to the side of the ship and when nobody was watching us, he pointed to a patch in the water. Narrowing my eyes, I looked at it and saw nothing. Frowning, I asked, "Why are you showing me water, Theodore?"

"Keep watching," Theodore said, giving me a look that told me not to be so impatient.

I continued to watch and say nothing. Just when I was starting to think that Theodore was playing a trick on me, I saw a flash of green in the water. It was Nerissa; there was no doubt about that in my mind. For some reason, I had sensed her presence earlier.

Turning to Theodore, I asked, "Why are you showing me this?"

"I need to decide what to do about her," Theodore told me. "She's most certainly following us. It won't take us long to get to England, but I cannot help but worry. You know the rumors of mermaids. They are said to strip a sailor's flesh from his bones and eat him after he has been drowned. I do not wish to have our ship attacked by mermaids."

"What is our other option? You would kill her?" I asked, eyes widening. I suddenly realized that I would do anything to keep Nerissa alive. Killing her would be like splitting my soul in a sense. I didn't understand why she was such a part of me. That remained a mystery, something unknown and for me to discover.

"You like her, don't you?" Theodore asked me, a smile flickering around his lips. "You saved her because you like her."

"Honestly, I do not like her!" I immediately said defensively. "Of course I am not in love with a fish. I just do not want to see her harmed is all."

Theodore put a hand on my shoulder and said quietly, "I see the way you look at her. I have never seen you look at a female that way before. There is no reason to feel ashamed for liking her. I only wish to know your true feelings so I know how to proceed in this situation."

Blushing slightly, I finally said, "Do not kill her. I do not mind what you do with her, but you must not harm her."

"Then I suppose my only option is to let her follow the ship," Theodore replied a-matter-of-factly. "Will she do us harm?"

"No," I said before I could even think about the question. It just seemed to pop out of my mouth.

"Can you be certain about this?" Theodore asked, still looking very nervous.

Once again, I spoke on an impulse and said, "Yes. I am certain she will not harm us. Well, maybe Charles, but not the rest of us."

"I see," Theodore said, finally smiling. "I shall let her continue to follow us then. I am going to check our heading."

Nodding, I watched Theodore go and tried to ignore the mermaid swimming by the side of the ship for the rest of the day. Surprisingly enough, she did a fairly good job at keeping her presence hidden from everyone but me and Theodore. Even Charles had not noticed her. By the time the day was done, I was hot, sweaty, and exhausted. Sailing in the scorching sun all day long was never good for my skin. I was pale and burned easily.

Sighing, I went straight to my cabin below decks, locked the door, and stripped off the sweaty clothes. My cheeks were bright pink and a red burn had crept across my chest and shoulders. It was painful, but I tried to ignore it. I had taken a bucket of water down to my cabin with me and now grabbed a rag nearby. After dipping it in the water, I started wiping off my sweaty body, trying not to brush my hand up against the burns.

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_Review please? :)_


	7. Journey, Notes, & Seaweed

_Hi guys! I'm loving all the reviews, so thanks so much! It's so much fun to know that people are actually reading my stories. :D Hope you like this chapter!_

_**Flik:** I know, it's like someone calling Michigan North America or something. …wait, that sounds totally confusing, doesn't it? Lol, moving on. I'm so glad you're still liking it! I think you should see OST one more time, what do you think? _  
_**Sirius'OnlyLove:** Aw, thanks so much! And LOL, I loved Jack impersonating the judge. That was so funny. Hm, my favorite part? Probably that bit about Gillette being snarky (lol, I spelled this as "snaky" *rolls eyes*) with Barbossa about the "footstep" thing on the beach. Or any other bit with him and Groves. I thought some of the dialogue between Blackbeard and Philirp was kind of funny too. What did you think of Philip?_  
_**Romeondjuliet4-ever:** Hehe, you know me too well! And omg, how did you know I was thinking that? *looks shocked* Thanks so much for your review!_  
_**MaisieIrvette27:** Yay, you're still reading! *hugs* Hehe, blushing is a good sign. Lol I hope you keep reading! :D_  
_**AsininityJackal:** So you like all the bad guys? =P What did you think of Davy and Blackbeard then? And thanks, I do like detail! Haha, of course I like the navy boys. *drools*_  
_**Jojo:** I know, aren't they cute? ;D Ooo, Sweden! I wish I could go there. How do you like it there? It's SO boring here in Michigan. _  
_**SgtPeppersLonelyHearts:** I get too lazy to log in all the time. =P But thanks so much for your review! I think we need to get revenge on Charles somehow, he's just so annoying, you know? And Theo just seems like an accepting kind of guy in my opinion. What do you think of him? Ooo, good idea listening to the OST soundtrack! I want it REALLY bad, but I must save my money…or attempt to…=P Thanks so much for reading!_

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**Chapter VI**

_When I was a lad in a fishing town _  
_ An old man said to me_  
_ You can live your life, your jolly life _  
_ A-sailing on the sea_  
_ You can search the world for pretty girls _  
_ Till your eyes are weak and dim_  
_ But don't go swimming with a mermaid, son_  
_ If you don't know how to swim_

The trip to England was even farther than I had expected it to be. My tail was starting to get tired from propelling me through the water. I wished I could stop and rest, but did not want to take the chance of losing sight of the Providence. So instead, I pressed on and made myself keep up with the ship.

I had been spying on Gillette quite a bit lately. I was lucky that his cabin was below deck and had an open window, perfect for spying in on him. Unfortunately, he only spent his nights below deck in the cabin. He spent the days on the deck of the ship.

When I had been spying, I had noticed he had a large sunburn across his back. Kelp helped to relieve sunburns, but I doubted he knew that. As soon as the Providence arrived at England, I would try and speak to him. I had also accidentally (or maybe not so accidentally) seen him naked while I had been watching. His bare body looked so much different than that of Zale's or any other mermen. I had found myself intrigued by him and would've kept staring if he hadn't chosen that moment to look up. Obviously embarrassed, his cheeks had turned tomato red and I had swam away before he could be angry with me.

Now I was only spying on him when he slept. He looked so innocent and vulnerable when he slept. His freckled face was wiped clear of emotion and his chest rose and fell gently. He was fun to watch. I found myself pressed up to the window all throughout the nights and into the mornings or whenever he woke up.

Currently, I surfaced above the water very quickly just to see if I could catch a glimpse of my sailor. Gillette was leaning against the side of the ship closest to me and was looking ill. His face was tinged greenish. I wanted to stay and look at him, but couldn't risk the chance of the rest of the crew seeing me. I ducked back under the water and...

Ew! Vomit splashed into the water right in front of me. It took all my strength to zip around the muck in the water. Annoyed, I impulsively swam to the surface of the water and smacked my tail down hard, spraying water all over Gillette. After I had done this, I realized how stupid it was. Now all the men would come to see what had created such a big splash.

Feeling quite smart, I swam to the opposite side of the ship and continued swimming there while all the men ran to the other side of the boat. As we continued on, another something dropped in front of me. I was suspicious of it at first until I realized it was nothing more than a harmless piece of parchment.

I quickly grabbed the parchment, wanting to read it before it fell apart. Already it was dissolving and the letters on it were blurred. After a few minutes of careful concentration, I was able to make out what it read. It said:

Why are you following me?

I longed to give an answer, but found no way to communicate with my sailor. Annoyed at this dilemma, I continued swimming by the side of the ship as my mind whirled. Even five hours later, I still had not found a way to communicate with him. However, by that time, the ship had slowed and had come to a stop.

Deciding to risk it, I popped out of the water and noticed that we were in a harbor. A large town was to our right. Was this England? It had to be! A little ways down, I noticed a beach. I wanted Gillette to follow me to the beach, but how could I get him to follow me?

Swimming over to the beach, I lounged there while I watched the men march off of the ship, talking and chattering. Gillette was in front with the man who was in charge. Not wanting him to get too far away from me, I searched for something to get his attention. Since a little seashell was floating right next to me, I went ahead and grabbed it. Despite the fact that I had horrible throwing skills, I tossed the shell in Gillette's direction, hoping for it to bounce off of his shoulder.

The seashell missed its mark by over a meter. Oops. Nonetheless, it was still enough to capture Gillette's attention. He turned his head towards the beach. Wanting to make sure he saw me, I slipped under the surface and pushed the tip of my tail up out of the water. Now there was nothing to do but wait. He would either come or he would not come.

I waited for him for about five minutes, zipping and zooming around playfully under the water. When a hand slipped under the surface a few feet in front of me, I almost jumped out of the water from excitement. Luckily, I restrained myself and instead poked my head out of the water and swam towards the hand.

Gillette and I locked eyes, but neither of us spoke. A tremor seemed to run through my body as I looked at him. Finally, I broke the silence with a quiet, "Hello."

Looking over his shoulder, Gillette said, "I cannot stay long. I told Theodore I was getting a drink. That should only take a few seconds. If I stay much longer, the entire crew will come over to see what I am doing."

Seeing nobody else on the beach, I crawled part-way onto the sand so that my torso was above the water but my tail remained submerged in it. I arranged my hair over my chest and tilted my head at Gillette, never getting tired of looking at him.

"What are you doing here?" he asked me in a concerned and frantic voice. "Why are you following me?"

Hoping that I wasn't annoying him, I gave him a hurt look and said simply, "To help."

"To help me?" Gillette asked, narrowing his eyes.

"Yes," I said truthfully. "You are sunburnt, are you not?"

Gillette started to nod slowly, but then turned around and saw the man in charge giving him a look from the town. Turning back to me, he said, "I have to go."

"But you will come back," I said urgently, reaching up and holding his hand for the first time ever. The sensation was strange. It was like throwing an ice cube into the fire. Gillette's hand was very warm and mine was cool. Sparks seemed to fly between us when our bodies made contact.

Gillette gave me a long look and then finally nodded, "I will come back tonight. Until then, stay away from the beach."

Without anything else said, he turned and walked casually back to the group of men. I watched him go with captivated eyes. He and the men started weeding through the twisting streets of the town. After losing sight of them, I did what Gillette had told me and swam a few miles south of the beach to stay away from humans who may want to harm me.

Night couldn't come soon enough. It seemed to take ages for the sky to go from gray to black. It seemed to take even longer for the stars to appear. Finally, night came and I swam back to the shore. Gillette was not yet there. I felt a sharp pain in my chest. What if he had forgotten about me? What if he chose not to come at all?

Unable to face that possibility, I sliced through the water and went to the pebbled ocean floor. Finding some kelp and seaweed, I tore pieces of it off and then returned to the surface. Before I got there, a hand dipped under the water and immediately caught my attention. My heartbeat started racing; he had come to me after all.

Poking my head out of the water, I saw Gillette. He looked much different than earlier without his wig and officer clothing on. The wig seemed to make him look about ten years older. It was quite strange.

"You came," I stated, slipping out of the water so I was half in and half out. Gillette nodded and looked me over as I arranged myself into a sitting position with my tail dangling in the water. Setting the kelp and seaweed strands to the side, I tentatively reached forwards and undid the top button on Gillette's shirt.

Automatically stiffening, Gillette asked, "What are you doing?"

"Helping," I said, pausing as he gave me a strange look. Pointing to the seaweed strands on the beach, I added, "They will lessen the pain. May I?"

Gillette relaxed a bit and nodded. I continued undoing the buttons, looking at them with interest. Buttons intrigued me. Mermaids never used buttons for anything. Once I had finally finished with the buttons, I raised my pale hands to his broad shoulders and slipped the shirt off his body. His upper half was just like a merman's, just more beautiful in my opinion.

Blinking up at him in the moonlight, I located the patches of pink and red on his back. Going to pick up the seaweed, I said, "Turn around. I need to get to your back." As I leaned down, my hair fell off my chest. Gillette caught a quick glimpse of my bare breast before he turned his back to me. For some reason, my cheeks had blushed pink. Never had I been embarrassed of my body before, but suddenly I felt awkward and shy.

I quickly covered my chest with my coppery hair once more. Trying to justify what had happened, I told myself that I had seen him shirtless and so it didn't matter if he saw me topless. That was how it worked...right?

A bit confused and flustered, I picked up the seaweed and started stroking his back with it. I slipped the green strands over the hurt area as gently as I could. Gillette stiffened, but did not protest.

Partially because the silence was killing me, I asked cautiously, "Am I hurting you?"

"Not at all," Gillette replied automatically.

I nodded and looked over his back. He had creamy, smooth skin that was sprinkled with little freckles here and there. I liked freckles. Looking up, I noticed that in this lighting his hair looked even more red as it shone in the moonlight. I was tempted to reach up and touch it, but thought better of it.

Finally, I asked, "How many years are you?"

"Thirty-three," was my answer. There was a long silence before he reciprocated the question and asked, "And you?"

"I am twenty-five," I replied, still sitting mesmerized by his back. Everything about him was so interesting. I suddenly had the impulse to do something to him. Not sure how well this would go, I continued stroking his lower back with the kelp and leaned forwards. The moonlight continued to illuminate us as I closed my eyes and tried to calm my racing heart. Ever so lightly, I leaned down and pressed my lips to the back of his neck.

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_Review? :)_


	8. Touching, Learning, & Together

_Hi everyone! Omg, it's so hot here today and I accidentally turned the AC off. *facepalms* So now I am sitting here with my ice cubes as usual. Hope you like the update!_

_**Romeondjuliet4-ever:** Uh oh…*grabs gun with you* Hehe, well, sooner is better than later, you know. That sounds like me. I'd probably still be saying that if I had four hundred reviews. XD_

_**Jojo:** Yay, I'm so glad you're still liking it! Woo, Sweden sounds nice? So you like the sun? Ugh, I don't. It's been SO hot here lately. I wish it was winter all year round. :D_

_**MaisieIrvette27: ** Aw, thanks! I always lose my readers after the first few chapters. And omg, me too! I can throw something about two feet and that's about it. My throwing skills just don't exist. Thanks for reading!_

_**Sirius'OnlyLove:** They are a bit curious of each other. :3 Yeah, the banter between Barbossa and Gillette was hilarious! And Groves…omg, I love Groves. ;D I was watching some TV show with Theo and no wig…*drools* They do seem to pick the cutest navy boys! I love Gillette, Groves, Norrie, and Beckett. How about you? I agree with you about Blackbeard, but I ended up hating Barbossa more in it. What about you? I think Philip and Syrena made the CUTEST couple ever. It was so sweet how she saved him at the end. Also, I dunno if it's Syrena or Serena. I thought it was Serena, but then on here it says Syrena, so I dunno. What do you think? Oh god, I'm writing you a novel, so I'll shut up now. XD_

_**SgtPeppersLonelyHearts:** Haha, am I keeping you from work? =P And omg, I'm jealous of her too. Too bad we can't disappear into the story, you know? I will definitely get the soundtrack if I can find some money and not spend it. Theo is lovely! Who's your favorite navy boy. Don't worry, I have plans for Charles. *smirks* And yup, it's a picture from Taking The Flak which I messed around with a bit…=P Omg, that's so sad that you missed it. He's going to be in some other plays this summer, but I'm sure my parents won't bring me all the way over to England to see one of them. *sadface* Where do you live? I'm in Michigan. _

_**AsininityJackal: **Lol, the puppy image was kind of what I had in mind when I wrote her swimming around fast and stuff. :D Lol, really? I found him funny, especially some of the conversations between him and Philip. What do you like about Davy in the second film and not the third one? And thanks for the idea! I might do something like that. :D  
_

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**Chapter VII**

_ Her hair is green as seaweed_  
_ Her skin is blue and pale_  
_ You can love that girl with all your heart_  
_ But I tell you now before you start_  
_ You're just gonna love the upper part_  
_ You're not gonna like the tail_

Gillette automatically stiffened when I pressed my lips to him. Afraid that he would leave me, I quickly withdrew myself and tried to calm my rapidly beating heart. Slowly, Gillette turned and faced me. A look of recognition passed over his face and he said, "You brought me to an island eight years ago when I was drowning from the hurricane off of Tripoli."

So surprised that he recognized me, my lips immediately curved into a smile and I flicked my tail around happily as I nodded and said, "I did. You remember me after all this time?"

"How could I forget?" Gillette asked in a wry voice. His dark eyes narrowed and he looked into my eyes cautiously, asking, "Why?"

"Why what?" I asked, unsure what he was asking as I got lost in his eyes.

"Why did you save me?" Gillette asked. "Mermaids are known to drown humans and attack ships."

Unable to deny what he said, I looked at the sand and picked up a shell lying in it, saying, "There was something about you that I could not resist. I had to save you. I couldn't let you drown. Letting you drown would be like running a sword through my own heart."

Gillette frowned and looked quite bewildered. Finally, he said, "I don't understand. What is it about me that you like? Theodore and James have courted lots of women, but I have never been in a strong relationship..."

Not sure if I should tell him about the marking or not, I hesitated and fiddled with the shell in my hands. Finally, I asked, "May I say something that sounds very unrealistic?"

Obviously wondering where this conversation was going, Gillette nodded slightly.

Risking a look up at him, I said, "I...I think I love you. Mermaids can mark a human and...oh never mind." I found myself embarrassed and blushing a brighter shade of red than the color of one of Marina's crabs.

Gillette reached forwards and placed a warm hand over one of mine. I looked up at him as the jolt of heat ran through my body. He said, "Go on. Please. I want to know what marking is."

Still feeling a bit flushed and embarrassed, I looked at our touching hands and said, "Marking is when a mermaid touches a human she is attracted to in an intimate way..."

Gillette stiffened again and shot me an odd look.

"I...um...kissed you," I mumbled quietly, feeling humiliation run through my veins. Feeling like I had to come up with some other excuse, I added, "It was only because you were dying and I was trying to breathe into you to keep you alive."

Abruptly, a finger tilted my chin up and I was forced to look at Gillette. He spoke quietly as he said, "You don't have to be embarrassed. Not with me."

Amazed at how his words were making me feel so much better, I decided to tell him the rest, saying, "Marking binds me to you. I will always love you now. There will never be anyone else I want. Even if you do not return my love, I will always long for it."

"Why did you mark me?" Gillette asked. He seemed to be the questioning type.

"Because I felt a pull to you? Because I knew fate had brought me to you for a reason?" I offered with a shrug of my shoulders.

"Is this why you followed me all the way to England?" Gillette asked, taking the hand his was resting upon and flipping it over.

Watching him expose my palm, I nodded and replied, "Yes. I will follow you. I will protect."

"No," Gillette said firmly, "You will not follow and risk your own life. You will go back to where you came from. Don't you understand how dangerous you following me will be?"

"Yes," I replied quietly, "But I have marked you. I will do whatever it takes to be with you."

Gillette's finger started tracing my palm as he replied, "You really won't leave me, will you?" I shook my head. Gillette sighed and said, "Nerissa, you are beautiful. Any man would love to call you his, but it remains that you are a mermaid and I am a human."

Slipping my hand out of his, I replied, "And it also remains that you are male and I am female." Very slowly, I stretched out my hand and laid it over the place where his heart should be. I could feel the heartbeat increase under my fingertips.

The chemistry between us was perfect, our feelings were mirrored images of each other. Not moving my fingers, I asked, "What brings you to England?"

Still looking at my hand over his chest, Gillette murmured, "The King ordered us here. We are to go on a mission for him."

"A mission?" I asked, looking interested. "What kind of mission? Are you searching for something?"

"In truth, I don't know," Gillette said, looking bothered for the first time. "I don't even know who our captain is going to be. Theodore says that he should be more knowledgeable than our last captains, but you never know."

"I will come and protect," I told him firmly.

"I don't ask for you to risk your life for me," Gillette said, tilting his head at me.

"You don't ask for my love either, and yet, it is given freely," I replied evenly. "I will come and follow your ship."

Gillette sighed and said, "You mustn't be seen and you mustn't get yourself killed. Understand?"

Finding it funny how he seemed to think he was in charge of my decisions, I laughed lightly and said, "Do not worry about me. Mermaids know how to take care of themselves."

Silence fell between us and I became quite aware of our surroundings. The water peacefully washed over feet (or in my case, tail), the moonlight lit up each other's faces, and the singing of crickets could be heard from a distance.

Gillette tentatively reached out a hand to me and asked tentatively, "May I?"

Knowing he wanted to touch me, I nodded and waited. When he told me to turn, I did so and exposed my back to him. Shivers ran up and down my spine as I stiffened and waited. Finally, warm fingertips pressed onto my slick back. The water droplets had not yet evaporated.

The warmth seemed to spread through my body as his hands glided over my naked back. After a few minutes of this treatment, I seemed to dethaw and relax a bit. We sat in silence for a long time with Gillette exploring my back. After a while, I felt an arm snake around my waist while another hand wrapped around my torso just below my breasts. I wondered if he would touch them. Zale had done that before, but I hadn't felt excitement running through my body like I felt now.

I felt Gillette's breath on my neck as his hand slipped up my cleavage and rested over the place where my heart rested. When he touched me there, I felt its beating pick up.

"Am I making you nervous?" he questioned as my heart insisted on pounding against my ribs.

"No," I replied in a breathless voice. "Please don't stop..."

He didn't. We sat in that position for a very long time. I leaned back against him and almost fell asleep against his body. Actually, I may have fallen asleep a few times. Gillette woke me by saying, "I must go now. I am to meet the new captain today."

"Oh," I said sadly, blinking my eyes sleepily. It was already dawn and I could see why he had to leave. Finally, I slipped back in the water saying, "I will wait." Out of the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of his feet in the water. Excited, I swam over to them and examined them excitedly, saying, "Toes!"

Gillette watched me examine his feet while a smile crossed his face. Finally, I said something that I had thought for a long time, "I would like to be a human."

"No," Gillette said firmly. "Don't say that. If you were a human, you would have to live in reality."

"Isn't this reality?" I asked, finally letting go of his toes.

Gillette stood up and stretched, revealing all the pale muscles of his torso. Looking down at me, he replied, "No, you're a dream. Wait for me. I will come back."

"I will always wait for you," I replied as he met my eyes one last time and then disappeared from sight. Little did I know that he could keep me waiting for all of eternity.

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_Review? :)_


	9. New Captain, Tears, & The Warning

_Hi everyone! Wow, thanks again for all the reviews! I'm so glad I have people reading this. :) Here's the next chapter. This is in Gillette's POV. Also, sorry if I made Barbossa a bit OOC. I am horrible with the accent. I can't write it to save my life. lol_

_**Flik: **Lol, that's okay! It would take me an eternity to get one sentence written on my phone. Thanks for still reading!_

**_Jojo: _**_Aw, I'm so glad you like it! Thanks for continuing to read! :D_

_**Romeondjuliet4-ever: **I know, right? He totally needs a leash so I can keep him with me at all times so I know just what he's doing. lol Thanks for the review!_

_**AsininityJackal: **Hehe, thanks so much! *hugs* You're right, he was really upset in like all of AWE. I just realized that Blackbeard was the one to kill Gillette and I find that I suddenly like him much less. lol_

_**Sirius'OnlyLove: **Thanks so much! I wish I was a mermaid too sometimes. XD Haha, you can marry those two and I'll marry Groves and Gillette. :D Wait...I can't really marry two guys, can I? *sadface* What do you like about Barbossa? I liked him in the first and third movie but obviously not the fourth. Whoa, that's amazing that you can quote the third one! I like CotBP the best. ;3 What do you like about AWE that makes it your favorite? Yes, Philip are Syrena are certainly love at first sight! Why doesn't that happen in real life? lol Yeah, I like to think she saved him too, but maybe she drowned him? Lol, I'm typing you a novel too, so I hope you don't mind. *blushes*_

**_SgtPeppersLonelyHearts: _**_Yay, I'm glad you like them! Of course, in reality, I bet Gillette would have all the girls chasing after him, but it fit better if he was a loner in my fic. =P The song thingy came from some poem I found online. I thought it fit, so I stuck it in here. lol You're totally right, I think work can wait too. :3 LOL about it being your sister's fault. He looks SO amazing without that silly wig, don't you think? *drools* What do you like most about Norrie? Love his voice. :D My favorite is Gillette (lol, you probably guessed that) followed by Mr. Theo Gorgeousness. =P Greg Ellis is so cute and he has this amazing accent when he decides to use it. Ooo, if you see it, will you tell me all about it? *looks hopeful* Michigan is really boring. There's nothing to do here. =P I'd LOVE to go to England. I love English accents! How do you like it where you live? And whoa...mini novel going on here. I need to shut up. Hope I didn't bore you!_

* * *

**Chapter VIII**

_I was dirty and you took me_  
_home and washed my face_  
_I was nowhere and you gave me a_  
_home and a restin' place_  
_I was nothing and you gave me_  
_something to live for_  
_I was nowhere_  
_I wanna tell you now like never before_

"Gillette! For the seventh time, please at least try to stay on your side!" Theodore's groggy voice said.

I had gone back to the inn after visiting Nerissa and was trying to get a few hours of sleep before we set off to meet our new captain. At this point, I was thinking that Nerissa had been nothing more than a dream. After all, I was in the middle of a rather vivid dream when Theodore decided to wake me up.

Opening my eyes, I looked up to see that I had awkwardly thrown a leg over Theodore. Oops. Quickly bringing my leg back to my side of the bed, I blushed and mumbled, "Sorry."

"Yes, I know you're sorry, but please just don't do it!" Theodore groaned from the far corner of the bed. "Next time, we are just going to have to pay the extra and get us an extra room so we don't have to share the bed."

"Mm," I said, thinking about Nerissa and not the bed. Wondering if she actually was real, I rolled onto my side and asked Theodore, "That mermaid that was following the ship, wasn't she real?"

Giving up on sleep at this point, Theodore rolled over to face me and said, "Yes, of course she was real. Why do you ask?"

"I was just wondering if she was a dream," I mumbled back, remembering the way her green tail had shimmered in the moonlight and how smooth and soft her flesh had been under my hand. She had said she had marked me. She had said she loved me.

"Are you certain you're feeling alright? You have a strange expression on your face," Theodore informed me, sitting up to get a better look at my face.

"I'm fine," I replied quickly, images of Nerissa still floating through my mind.

"Perhaps we should prepare to meet our new captain then," Theodore said, rolling out of bed and grabbing his jacket. I watched him put it on and found myself admiring his hair. It was short and brown; it never got messed up. As I watched him, Theodore looked over at me and frowned, saying, "Your sunburn seems to have lessened considerably."

Looking at my shoulders, I realized that Theodore was right. Smiling, I murmured aloud, "Maybe it wasn't a dream..."

"Maybe what was just a dream?" Theodore said sharply, obvious listening to me quite intently.

Blushing, I replied, "Nothing."

Theodore sat on the bed and said, "I know you were out doing something until early dawn. Were you with the mermaid?"

I thought about lying, but decided against it. Instead, I nodded.

Theodore looked torn. He said, "I'm glad you like her, Gillette, but I don't think you should get too close to her. Mermaids are dangerous. You know that. I can't lose my second Lieutenant. What exactly were you doing with her last night?"

Not seeing how this pertained to anything, I ran my hand through my hair sleepily and said, "What does that have to do with anything?" Theodore gave me a funny look. Realizing what he was thinking, I blushed and said quickly, "We don't do anything like...you know. Besides, she has a tail, not legs."

Theodore nodded slowly and finally commented, "I know, but please be careful. Mermaids can turn nasty. Now get dressed, we need to leave as quickly as we can. I would like to make a good impression on our new captain."

Wanting to make a good impression as well, I stood up and searched for my shirt, jacket, and wig. As I shrugged the shirt and coat on, I asked Theodore, "Just where are we going?"

"To the king's palace," Theodore replied quickly. "I hear that he lives in the center of the town."

Cramming my hat and wig on, I concealed a yawn and asked, "Shouldn't we wake all the men if we are leaving now?"

Theodore gave me a funny look and replied, "We aren't all going to the palace. Just you and I will go. Are you ready?"

Suddenly, my knees felt wobbly and there was a big lump in my throat. I didn't feel so ready after all. Unfortunately, I had no choice and would be going to the palace whether I liked it or not. Taking a deep breath and putting a fake smile on my face, I nodded and replied, "Yes, I am actually. Shall we go?"

Theodore nodded. The two of us stepped out of the inn and onto the streets. We walked along briskly in the cool morning air. Personally, I wanted to go in the opposite direction in case Nerissa was waiting for me. What was that she had said? I'll always wait for you?

"Ouch! Please watch where you're going," Theodore chastised me as I accidentally stepped on his foot. Poor Theo. He was just not having a good morning, mostly due to me.

"Sorry, I...oh my god," I breathed as Theodore and I stepped in front of a large white building. Guards were stationed all around it and patches of red flowers were planted by the corners of the building. Turning to Theodore, I asked, "Is this the palace?"

Gulping, Theodore nodded and replied, "Yes. I suppose we just go ahead and talk to one of the guards now. Come along."

The two of us nervously walked over to the door and to the guard standing there. He was wearing a gray wig, not unlike ours, and was dressed in red. When he saw us, his eyes narrowed, but he said nothing.

"We are here to see the king," Theodore said formally. The guard nodded and whipped around, motioning for us to follow him. Exchanging glances, Theodore and I followed him into the palace, up three flights of stairs, and into a huge dining hall. The ceilings were very high and a large mural had been painted upon it.

"Ah, there you are," a voice said from one of the chairs at the table. Stepping forwards, Theodore and I came face-to-face with a rotund man with a curly gray wig and fancy coat. It was definitely King George.

"We are pleased to meet you," Theodore said politely. "I was told that we were summoned here to set sail with a new captain?"

"Yes, yes, of course," King George said, waving his hand for us to sit down. "I am sending you after the Fountain of Youth. News has reached my ears that the Spanish have already set sail after it. You must find it first."

"The what?" I gasped as I exchanged looks with Theodore. The Fountain of Youth was a legend, not a real place! If we set sail after a legendary location, we would be sailing the seas for eternity!

"The Fountain of Youth," King George replied evenly. "Surely you've heard of it?" He motioned to the tea cups and kettle in front of us and added, "Help yourself to some tea if you'd like."

Grabbing the tea kettle, I sloshed tea into my cup and said, "I heard the Fountain of Youth was a legendary pl-"

Theodore cut me off by stepping on my foot and turning to King George, saying, "We are honored to go on this mission for you. Who might our new captain be?"

Before King George could answer, the doors banged open and a man with a scraggly beard, wild eyes, and one leg appeared. I spluttered on my tea as King George said, "Captain Barbossa, I would like you to meet your new Lieutenants. This is Theodore Groves and Thomas Gillette."

Barbossa clunked over to the table with his peg leg and studied us with shining eyes. Finally, he said, "Welcome to the navy. I suspect King George has told ye of our mission?"

I was caught speechless. Barbossa did not look like a captain of the royal navy. No, looked much more like a pirate in disguise. Luckily, Theodore's tongue was not caught and he was able to say, "Yes, he has told us of our mission. May I ask how we are going to find the Fountain? Do we have a map?"

Barbossa stiffened at the question and shook his head. Finally, he said, "Nay, but I have a way of gettin' one. We be settin' sail tomorrow. I suspect ye'll have the ship ready by then?"

I exchanged a look with Theodore. So we were about to set sail for the Fountain of Youth without a map. What a wonderful plan...or not. At this rate, I didn't think anything else could go wrong.

Since I was still a bit speechless, Theodore replied, "The ship is ready to set sail at a moment's notice, Sir. May I ask a question?"

Barbossa said nothing, but King George nodded and said, "Yes, do feel free to ask any questions that you might have." He picked up a plate of pastries and asked, "Scones?"

We all politely declined while Theodore said, "I heard a rumor that there were items required to bring to the Fountain of Youth. Perhaps either of you know more about this?"

I gave Theo a strange look when he said that. How did he know rumors about something like the Fountain of Youth?

There wasn't time to ask Theodore about that since Barbossa was already talking. He replied, "Aye, there be a ritual. The items fer the ritual would be two silver chalices, water from the fountain, and the tear of a mermaid."

At the last statement, I choked on my tea and actually ended up spitting it out. Everyone turned and looked at me. Quickly wiping my mouth, I said, "Sorry," for probably the fifth time today.

Theodore, Barbossa, and King George continued to talk, but my mind was far away from the conversation at hand. I had to get to Nerissa and warn her. If Barbossa wanted a mermaid's tear, he would obviously go hunting for a mermaid. Hunting for a mermaid would no doubt result in Nerissa's death. I had to go to her.

I forgot all about the Fountain of Youth, this pointless mission, and our new captain. All that mattered was Nerissa and getting her to safety. Finally, after what seemed like hours, the three stopped talking and I jumped to my feet, knocking the chair over. Theodore sighed loudly, obviously wondering what was wrong with me.

As I stepped anxiously towards the door, Barbossa raised his eyebrows at me and asked, "Where ye be goin', Lieutenant? Ye are to stay here in the King's palace tonight."

Damn. I needed some sort of excuse, but none came to me. Finally, I made up a very silly diversion and said, "I would like some fresh air. That's all. I won't be long." I didn't wait to see what Barbossa and the others would say. Instead, I just went straight down the three flights of stairs, and out of the palace.

I didn't care that it looked strange for a navy officer to be running through the streets as if the devil were after him. I had to find Nerissa. Five minutes later, I was gasping for breath and had a stitch in my side. Nevertheless, I had made it to the beach where Nerissa and I had met last night. Falling onto my knees, I dipped my hand under the water and waved it around frantically. What if Nerissa wasn't here? What if there wasn't time to warn her?

Before I could think of this for too long, a coppery head appeared before me. Two green diamond-like eyes followed. Nerissa started to wiggle up onto the sand next to me, but I pushed her back into the water. I couldn't let anyone see her. Nerissa immediately looked hurt. Sorrow filled her face and she asked, "You do not want to see me?"

"No, no, no, it's not that," I said quickly, not wanting her to get the wrong idea. "It's just that I have to warn you about something. It's very important."

Looking confused, Nerissa swam back and forth in front of me and asked, "Warn me of what?"

"Our new captain," I said anxiously. "He needs the tear of a mermaid. You need to get out of here. If you do not, he will hunt you and kill you. Please, Nerissa. Go back to Port Royal. I shall return there as soon as this mission is done."

"You're leaving me?" Nerissa asked vulnerably.

Feeling quite bad about this, I nodded and said, "I have no choice. I cannot put you in harm's way." For the next moment or so, we just stared at each other. Nerissa's big eyes stated mournfully into mine, cutting a jagged line through my heart. She leaned up out of the water so that we were less than a foot apart. Her lips were wet and red. I could've kissed her, could've touched her, but I didn't. Instead, I got to my feet and took a step backwards.

Nerissa looked like she was about to cry. Before I could leave, she reached out to me and said, "Can I not have one hug goodbye?"

I nodded and knelt back on the beach. Nerissa propelled herself a little ways out of the water and threw her arms around my neck. My arms wrapped around her slender waist and I held her to me. I could feel her perky breasts against my chest and feel the thump of her heart syncing with the thumping of mine. It was as if we were meant to be together, but fate had been cruel enough to make her a mermaid and me a human.

Choking back all emotion, I said, "Goodbye Nerissa." Then I walked away.

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_Review please? :)_


	10. Bargaining, Lies, & Tricks

_Hi everyone! I'm still shocked I'm getting so many reviews for this! Thank you everyone for making this worth writing. This chapter is back in Nerissa's POV. Again, sorry for the Barbossa OOC-ness. =P_

_**Romeondjuliet4-ever: **I know, right? The short leash sounds like a good idea. Maybe I need one for my b-day. *hints* And yep, now I can have him all to myself again. I just have to find Happy and I'll be perfectly happy. XD Lol, that sounds weird..._

_**Jojo: **Hehe, you're right about her not leaving! I can tell you like Barbossa. More Barbossa in this chappie! Thanks for reading!_

_**AsininityJackal: **I do too...I think you'll feel more sorry for her in this chapter. Btw, what Potc villain did you think was the most evil? I heard that Blackbeard was suppose to be the most evil, but I didn't think he was..._

_**12DEHD: **Thanks! I hate accents...Tia's, Davy's, and Barbossa's are all so hard to write! Hehe, watching it again is always fun. I memorized all of Gillette's lines (which were like 3) and so now I'm working on Happy's. lol_

_**Flik: **Yay for you using a computer! *is proud of you* That's as good as me actually logging in. hehe And thanks! I get so worried about accents. Hehe, this is a bit like The Little Mermaid, isn't it? =P_

**_Sirius'OnlyLove: _**_Aw, thanks! That's such a nice thing to say. Hehe, as soon as you figure out how we can marry two guys, let me know! :D I do understand what you mean about Barbossa. He's very straight-to-the-point, you know? Ooo, that's cool about you being in plays and musicals! Do you like doing them? I'm the kind of person who would freak out and forget all my lines. =P Omg, I totally love the music in AWE, especially the Jack/Davy battle music. What did you think of the music from OST? I loved it! Oh, I just liked CotBP best because it had the most Groves and Gillette. And the stealing the Interceptor part was so funny, you know? Yeah, if only there was love at first sight in reality. That would save a lot of heartache. lol And I hope she saved him too...I wonder if they'll be in Pirates 5? Oh no, another novel here...lol_

_**SgtPeppersLonelyHearts: **Yay, I'm glad you liked the chapter! Omg, I do so awful with goodbyes. I start crying and get all sentimental. =P Thanks about the accent deal, I'm still struggling with it. =/ I know, I would so be after Gillette too. And Theo. I know, I know, I just can't stick to one guy. =P I love Damian's red hair, don't you? It's so gorgeous! And Jack Davenport is awesome too. You think he looked best in DMC then? I think they should all just ditch those wigs so we can see their hair. I haven't seen Coupling. Is that a comedy? Hehe, Gorgeous Groves-y! Love the name! Have you ever seen him in Trust Me or Valentine? I want to jump into the TV whenever I see him in those. =P Do you travel around much in England? I still would love to come. Believe me, the US is super boring, especially in the summer. And it is hotter than hell, which does not help. lol _

* * *

**Chapter IX**

_Up spoke the captain of our gallant ship,  
And a fine spoken sailor was he.  
"This fishy mermaid has warned us of our doom.  
We shall sink to the bottom of the sea."_

I had been warned, but I didn't always take warnings very seriously. Gillette wanted me to go and save myself from the evil man who wanted the mermaid tear. Despite this, I could not leave him. I would sooner get stabbed than go back to where I had come from. Hoping that he wanted me gone only because I was in danger and not because he didn't like me, I watched him leave, still half lying on the beach.

"If only I could be a human," I wished aloud, watching his figure become nothing more than a speck in the distance before he disappeared altogether. "If I could be a human, life would be so much better."

"Ye be wantin' to be a human?" a voice from very close by echoed my thoughts.

Unsure who was talking to me, I swam a little ways back into the water and looked around to find the location of the voice. It certainly hadn't come from Gillette. Even though I trusted him, most humans made me wary. After all, the young boy from the Providence had attempted and succeeded in stabbing my tail.

"Who are you?" I asked in a distrustful voice.

Suddenly, a figure dressed in a uniform stepped out from behind a nearby tree. He was wearing a blue coat and large hat. I would guess that he was higher in rank than Gillette, but there was something about him that made me nervous. Perhaps it was the wild look in his eyes or the way he was looking hungrily down at me.

"I be Hector Barbossa and I be about to set sail on the Providence with yer lad," the man said, nodding towards the ship that was docked nearby.

Following his gaze to the Providence, I felt a bit less scared and asked, "You know Gillette?"

"Aye," Barbossa nodded, crouching next to me like Gillette had done. "Ye want to be human like him, don't ye?"

Seeing no reason to deny this, I nodded and said simply, "Yes."

"I can help ye with that," Barbossa told me with a smile crawling across his face.

Still a bit hesitant, I asked, "How?"

"We be about to take a voyage to the Fountain of Youth. There be supernatural places along the way. I can make ye human, but first ye've got to be willing to travel to the Fountain with me," Barbossa said simply.

"A real human?" I echoed, immediately ready to accept this proposal. What if I could actually have legs, feet, and even toes?

"Aye, a real human," Barbossa nodded, "But first ye have to be willin' to come to the Fountain. What say you?"

Mermaids, in general, are very trustworthy. I hadn't met an untrustworthy one in all my years. Thinking humans would be the same way, I immediately accepted Barbossa's proposal and figured he was being truthful

"I will come," I said with a nod. "But I will need water."

"Aye, that be true," Barbossa said with a nod. He thought for a moment before he stood up and said, "Wait here."

Having no choice, I stayed where I was and watched Barbossa amble over to the Providence. His gait was strange since he only had one leg. The peg leg clunked behind him awkwardly, making him lope in a strange way. He disappeared inside the Providence and I was left with my own thoughts. Personally, I was feeling rather excited about this. I was going to be a real human! All I had to do was go on this short voyage. It was perfect, was it not?

A few minutes later, Barbossa reappeared out of the Providence with a glass box in his arms. It was long, probably two meters long and a meter high. Luckily, it was filled with water. Perfect. Smiling happily, I waited for Barbossa to bring the glass box over to me. Never did I stop and think that it was rather suspicious that Barbossa just happened to have a glass box on the Providence.

Approaching me, Barbossa put the glass box down on the beach and opened the lid. Smiling down at me, he said, "Here be some water fer ye. Can ye get into the box by yerself?"

Nodding, I slipped underwater and swam to the bottom of the sea. Once there, I started propelling myself upwards as fast as I could. I shot out of the water and gracefully dove into the glass box. I quickly decided that I did not like it in there. The water was much too hot and I already felt feverish.

Without a seconds thought, Barbossa picked up the box and started back to the Providence. Frowning, I perched on the edge of it and said, "The water is too warm. Can we not add some cooler water to this?"

"Aye," Barbossa said without stopping. "We do that when we be back in the ship."

I narrowed my eyes at Barbossa, not seeing how that made sense. Shouldn't we stop and get colder water now since we were right by the ocean? In Barbossa's opinion, apparently not.

He continued to carry the glass box as he stepped up the ramp to the ship and then took the stairs that descended to below the decks. I pressed my face against the glass to see where we were going. Barbossa brought me into a dark cabin and put my glass box down on the floor. Not feeling too good about this, I asked again, "Can we not change the water temperature?"

Barbossa looked over at me, a crazy grin on his face as he said, "Nay, the temperature of the water be fine." With that said, he slammed the lid to the glass box shut and started towards the door.

Frantic, I banged against the glass and tried to tell Barbossa that I had no air and couldn't breathe. Mermaids needed water and air. Either Barbossa didn't hear me or he ignored me. He strode out of the cabin and slammed the door shut behind him. Frowning, I swam around in the little box and tried to figure out what was going on. Why wouldn't Barbossa give me air? Why wouldn't he change the temperature of the water?

It was warm in here; too warm. Already my temperature had risen and my cheeks were turning red. It was like being forced to sit in a hot tub twice as hot as it normally was. The heat was making my mind go fuzzy and my body tremble. It didn't help that there was no air to breathe. Typically, a breath of fresh air could always cool me down.

The heat and lack of air were suffocating me. I couldn't stand this. Doing the only thing I could do, I pushed against the side of the glass box with all my might. Mermaids were strong. Even when they were suffocating, they were still stronger than humans. Abruptly, the glass box started to roll. It tilted onto its side and started rolling across the cabin. As it rolled, it gained speed and...

SMASH! The glass box crashed up against the opposite side of the cabin. The lid to it fell open. The water and me spilled out of it while a strange tingling filled my body. Looking down, I noticed that my tail was flicking around in a bothered manner.

Having a hard time thinking, I leaned up against the bedpost and took a few more frantic breaths. The tingling in my tail continued. Without any warning, it was sliced in half and my scales literally dissolved. Oh. I had forgotten that whenever I was completely out of the water my tail turned into legs and I became somewhat human.

Looking down at my legs and my naked body, I gulped. This wasn't really a situation I had hoped to end up in. I was in my weakest form as a human. I could not walk or even stand. Even if I could reach the door, it was locked and there was no escaping this cabin.

Starting to hyperventilate, I tried to make myself calm down and get a grip on myself. I would be okay. I just had to calm down and come up with a plan. _What plan?_, my brain seemed to scream at me.

I forced myself to take slow, deep breaths. Once my body stopped shaking, I wondered about having a try at standing up. Even though I had failed to stand before, perhaps this time would be different. Trying to convince myself of this, I held onto the bedpost and tried to get to my feet. Surprisingly enough, I was able to stand when I was clinging to the bedpost.

Feeling like I was making good progress, I smiled and took one step away from the bedpost. Crash! I toppled over and smashed awkwardly to the ground, landing on my arm at an odd angle. Ignoring the pain that was slicing through me, I got to my knees and crawled over to the closet. Hoping to find something to wear inside it, I leaned up and grabbed the knob with my hand.

The closet door fell open to reveal absolutely nothing. Not a single item was inside the deserted closet. Getting desperate to find something to wear in case Barbossa came back, my eyes fell on the bed. I could use a sheet as a makeshift dress. The only problem was actually getting onto the bed.

I crawled over to it and attempted to stand up again. My legs were even weaker than before and I didn't have any energy left. Wanting to just fall asleep here on the floor, I gave up trying to get up on the bed and just sat still for a few moments. Biting my lip, I realized that getting onto the bed was a must.

Keeping this thought in mind, I grabbed the sheets and tried to pull myself up onto the bed. I threw one leg over it and then the other. They felt like heavy weights dragging me downwards, but I somehow managed to stay on the bed. I was very weak now and could barely keep my eyes open. Using the last of my strength, I tugged the sheet off of the bed and wrapped it around myself. After that, I tumbled onto my side and fell into darkness.

* * *

_Review? :)_


	11. Safe, Hanging, & The Map

_Hi everyone! How are you all today? I'm doing better because it's suppose to be cold today and I LOVE cold temperatures. Okay, that was really off topic. =P Anyways, this chapter is back in Gillette's POV. Also, I don't have a script to OST, so sorry that a lot of the phrases aren't quite right. =/_

_**Romeondjuliet4-ever: **Yay! *takes leash and ties Fluffy to me* Yeah, silly Nerissa forgot about the legs problem. Maybe she should've just stayed in the water. =P And you never know! I do lose readers really easily. *sadface*_

_**Jojo: **Yep, the world is full of lies! I think Nerissa has a lot to learn, you know? Hehe, Barbossa is a bitch in this, but sometimes bitches are fun to read about. Thanks so much for your review!_

_**Flik: **Lol, well, the phone is handy at times. =P Oh, you mean Kat Von D? I had a friend who hated her guts, but I think she's super pretty. And yes, mermaids are coming to haunt you! lol Actually, it was Alicia's idea, so she gets the credit. :)_

**_Sithlord8665: _**_There will be a lot more Barbossa to come, including in this chapter. :D Haha, yeah, he never keeps his word. I still think he's pretty powerful even with a crutch. I mean, he did a LOT in OST, you know?_

**_AsininityJackal: _**_I'd say she got herself in a bad situation! lol And aw, thank you so much! My last story got like one review per chapter and that was a bit depressing. =/ I agree with you about Barbossa being the most evil character. Although in AWE, he was a lot less evil in my opinion. What did you think? Hehe, we all love nasty guys. :D_

_**SgtPeppersLonelyHearts: **I love the Little Mermaid too! Mermaids are just so great, you know? :) And aw, thanks! Your compliments make me blush. Omg, I want to see Foyle's War SO bad! Were you watching it on TV? Damian's accent is so sexy. *melts too* CotBP is my favorite too! There are so many cute Grovesy and Gillette moments, you know? I want to see Coupling super bad now. :D I think those shows might have been cancelled. I was watching them online since I love Mr. Groves so much. lol Ooo, that would be cool if you could move sometime! Do you think that will be anytime soon? Nope, I don't travel much. We went to Miami a little while ago and the trip was like hell. lol I bet England is a lot more fun!_

_**Sirius'OnlyLove: **Yay! I'm so glad you liked the chapter. OMG, that part was so frigging hilarious! And I loved Jack's expression when he was all like, "I want one of those!" I can so see Jack cutting off his leg just so he can have one like Barbossa's. =P Ooo, that's awesome! How long have you been singing for? I like to sing, but my voice is crap. =/ I totally agree with you about the music. As soon as I finished watching OST for the first time, I was talking about the music and everyone was giving me a weird look. :P Norrie's expression on that part is so funny! And I love the way Groves is admiring Jack after he steals the ship. XD Oh, and I love "ABANDON SHIP!" lol Yep, there's suppose to be a Pirates 5 and 6! I looked it up. hehe_

* * *

**Chapter X**

_ Her hair was green as seaweed_  
_ Her skin was blue and pale_  
_ Her face it was a work of art_  
_ And I loved that girl with all my heart_  
_ But I only loved the upper part_  
_ I didn't like the tail_

"You saved her, didn't you?" Theodore asked me with a knowing look on his face.

I had returned to the palace after warning Nerissa about the new Captain and was now sitting on Theodore's bed, licking my lip nervously. Nerissa was very strong-willed. You couldn't go around telling her what to do. If she didn't like what you were telling her, she simply wouldn't do it. Would Nerissa leave and go back to Port Royal? I could only hope so.

Turning to Theodore, I gave him a wry smile and said, "I wish I could, but there is no way to do that. The only way to do that would be to lock her up and send her back to Port Royal myself. All I could do was warn her. I can only hopethat she will heed the warning."

Theodore looked into my face and said, "You don't seem to be very confident that she will listen to the warning."

Deciding to be honest, I nodded and said, "I don't think she will listen. Something is telling me that she's still here."

As a matter-of-fact, I was starting to get strange feelings. I had this odd thought that perhaps Nerissa was in trouble. She couldn't be in trouble already though. I had just warned her. I was most likely just being paranoid.

Resting a hand on my forearm, Theodore tried to reassure me by saying, "Mermaids are strong. I'm certain she will be just fine. What do you think of our new captain?"

I was so wrapped up in thinking about Nerissa that it took me a moment to realize what Theodore was talking about. Once I had comprehended what he had said, I wrinkled my nose and asked, "Captain Barbossa?"

A smile flitted around Theodore's lips as he nodded and said, "Yes, unless you're sailing with a captain I do not know about."

I made a face and said, "Captain Barbossa looks far more like a pirate than a privateer. I am getting a bad feeling about him. Also, what about the Fountain of Youth? The place is nothing but a legend. We will be sailing the seas for eternity if we are searching for a place that does not exist."

Surprisingly enough, Theodore did not answer my statement. Instead, he stayed silent and looked thoughtfully at the ground.

Raising my eyebrows, I asked, "You don't actually believe that the Fountain of Youth exists, do you, Theodore?"

There was a silence and my eyes widened. Finally, Theodore looked up at me and said, "Perhaps it does exist. Ponce de Leon died searching for something. I do not think he would go searching for a place that did not exist."

"But...but it is not a real place!" I contradicted, not about to believe that such a place as the fountain existed.

Theodore gave me a sideways smile and commented, "Not too long ago you were letting us all know how mermaids were a legend. Sometimes these myths turn into reality. I wouldn't be too certain that the Fountain of Youth is a legend."

Seeing that Theodore did have a point there, I was forced to keep my mouth shut. A silence fell between us and I started worrying about Nerissa again. Where was she now? Was she on her way back to Port Royal or was she still flitting around the bay?

Theodore cut into my thoughts again by saying, "What do you think of the ritual?"

"The ritual?" I asked blankly, having absolutely no idea what Theodore was talking about.

Trying not to look fed up, Theodore replied, "The ritual for the Fountain of Youth. A mermaid's tear and two silver chalices are required."

Oh, of course. I remembered that Barbossa or the King had been talking about the ritual earlier. I had been quite distracted though and didn't exactly remember what they had said.

Sighing, I said, "I do not know where we are to get two silver chalices from and you know what I think about the mermaid's tear."

Theodore nodded and looked nervous, saying, "I doubt Captain Barbossa will go to the Fountain without the tear."

To be honest, I had been thinking that exact same thing. Hearing it aloud certainly wasn't making me feel any better. Sighing, I said, "I would like to hope not, but I think you are right."

Once again, my heart started beating a bit quicker and something inside me just felt wrong. Where was Nerissa? I had to know. It was bothering me not to know where she was.

Looking over at me, Theodore said, "You are thinking of the mermaid again. You do remember what I said about mermaids being deadly creatures, don't you?"

Very distracted and not in the mood for a lecture from Theodore, I nodded and said, "Of course I do. But Nerissa is not like that. She's different. Special. I know this sounds very odd, but I feel like she is in danger."

"That is not odd," Theodore replied. "After all, she is in danger now that Captain Barbossa is hunting a mermaid's tear."

"Yes, yes, I know that. I meant imminent danger. It is as if someone is hurting her right now," I said as my gut continued to tell me that something was wrong. Suddenly, I made up my mind and stood up. Turning to Theodore, I added, "I am going to see her once more. I must make certain she is alright."

Theodore sighed, obviously not approving of my motives, but made no move to stop me. As I stepped towards the door, it opened before I could reach it. I froze as if I were a little child caught in the candy jar and waited to see who would appear. Loud clunking noises sounded as none other than Captain Barbossa appeared.

"There be a hangin' about to take place," Barbossa said gruffly. "I'll be needin' some help with it." With that said, Barbossa whipped around, obviously expecting us to follow him. Theodore and I exchanged glances, but followed him. It was strange because helping out with hangings was not typically our duty. Everything was different here. We were in a new place, had a new captain, and would therefore have new duties.

The two of us followed Barbossa down the flights of stairs and out a different door. It was starting to get dark outside and the sun seemed to have slipped behind a cloud. We were led into a cleared area where a man was being held captive by two men.

"There's been a mistake! It's a life's sentence, not a hanging!" the man who was being held captive was yelling. When he heard us approach, he looked up in surprise and said, "Barbossa!"

Barbossa threw the rope sitting at his feet to the man and said, "I expect ye can tie yer own noose."

Theodore and I went to stand behind Barbossa as the captive man tossed the rope back at Barbossa, saying, "That's a hard thing to do, asking a man to tie his own noose."

Looking a little irritated, Barbossa threw the rope at Theodore. Theodore caught it and started tying the loop before tossing the opposite end to me. The two of us worked together to tie the noose as Barbossa took a step towards the man and asked, "Where be Jack Sparrow headed? I'm on a time frame and the HMS Providence sets sail at dawn. Is there anythin' ye can offer me, Gibbs? Anything at all?"

The captive man, obviously called Gibbs, hesitated before pleading, "Take me with you."

"Take you where, Gibbs?" Barbossa leered, stepping towards the man. "To the Fountain? Is there where Jack be headed?"

Theodore and I watched the conversation with confusion. Neither of us knew how this Gibbs could help us and neither of us knew who Jack was. All we could do was wait and see what would happen.

When Gibbs would say nothing more, Barbossa said, "Speak now if ye wish to see the morning light." Abruptly, Gibbs pulled a map out of his coat pocket. Now it all made sense. Barbossa wanted Gibbs' map because it was clearly a map to the Fountain of Youth.

"Hand it over," Barbossa ordered Gibbs, holding his hand out. Gibbs hesitated and instead of handing the map over, he grabbed a lantern. Gibbs threw it onto the ground and then tossed the map into the fiery flames. The map started to burn as Barbossa's eyes flashed and he yelled, "Fool!"

"I've had just enough time to study every infernal circle and every dot on that map. It's all safe right up in here," Gibbs replied with a smile, tapping his head.

Barbossa narrowed his eyes, thought about this for a moment, and then said, "Welcome back to his majesty's navy, Mr. Gibbs."

Figuring that we were now dismissed, I took a step in the opposite direction, still wanting to go see if Nerissa was still swimming out by the beach. The bad feeling inside me had calmed, but I still wanted to check on her just in case.

Before I could get too far, Barbossa whirled around and raised his eyebrows at me, asking, "Where ye be headed, Lieutenant?"

Trying to come up with an excuse, I said, "I would like to go for a night stroll. The fresh air is nice."

"Aye, but ye'll be gettin' plenty of fresh air tomorrow. Both of ye come back to the palace with me. We set sail at dawn," Barbossa said, motioning for us to follow him.

Not having a choice, Theodore and I followed him back to the palace. Gibbs came too, looking a bit out of place. I took a step away from him, not liking to associate with his kind. From the looks of things, he was a pirate. I disdained all pirates. Theodore, on the other hand, did not mind them nearly as much. Therefore, I let him stand by Gibbs.

We walked back to the palace in silence. Nobody spoke. An awkward tension formed as the only sound to be heard was the clunking of Barbossa's peg leg. A few minutes later, Theodore and I finally reached our room. I was very grateful that Barbossa did not try to get us to share our room with Gibbs. That would've been quite unacceptable. Once the two left, I collapsed on the bed.

"That Gibbs is a queer one," Theodore said, "But at least we have the map now and we'll be setting sail at dawn."

"Mm," I replied without really listening.

Throwing his wig and hat in the corner, Theodore said, "I know you're worried about the mermaid, but I do think you should at least try and get some sleep. We want to be vigilant in the morning."

"I suppose you're right," I replied, tossing off my wig and hat as well. As usual, bright red hair stuck out all over the place. Frowning, I shrugged off my coat and kicked off my shoes, wondering where Nerissa was. Looking up, I saw that Theodore was smiling at me. Wondering what the smile was about, I asked, "What?"

"You're hopelessly in love, Gillette," Theodore replied as he settled into bed.

Unbuttoning my shirt, I frowned and said, "I am not in love. I just care for her. You can care for someone without being in love with them." Tossing my shirt on the ground, I went over to sit on the bed next to Theodore, trying to think of an analogy. Suddenly, I added, "It's like me and you. You care for me, don't you? You would be saddened if I die. Yet, despite all this, you are not in love with me. That is the same way it is with Nerissa."

"Nerissa?" Theodore echoed with a curious expression. "That's her name, I'm guessing? I'm sorry, Gillette, but that was one of the worst analogies I have heard in a long time."

Making a face, I laid down on my side and pulled the crisp, white sheets over my body, saying, "It wasn't that bad."

Theodore laid down as well and said, "Yes, it was."

"No, it wasn't," I mumbled, "I could've used my toast as an example instead. I could've said that I care for my toast and if it gets burnt, I am unhappy in the mornings. But of course, I am not in love with my toast-"

"Yes, yes, I know. Go to bed," Theodore said, rolling his eyes. "How about you try to stay on your side of the bed this time?"

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_Review please? :)_


	12. Discovered, Shame, & Threats

_Hi guys! How are you? I'm sick again. God, it feels like I'm always sick these days. Oh well. Anyways, this is back in Nerissa's POV. Hope you like it..._

**_Romeondjuliet4-ever: _**_I know, right? I mean, how do you forget something like that? Hehe, exactly. We don't care then! *hugs*_

_**Jojo: **I so hate awkward silences. Especially when you're on the phone. Those are frigging awful. Yeah, Theo is so cute! I'm having a major Theo obsession. I couldn't quit talking about him the other day. lol_

_**Moviac: **Aw, thanks so much for your compliments! I'm glad you find the story intriguing and I hope you continue to read it. :) I totally know what you mean. Not getting reviews is SO depressing. :( Haha, I'd answer your questions, but I don't want to give the story away. Just keep reading to find out. :D_

_**AsininityJackal: **He totally loves her and he's convinced that he should compare her to toast. *rolls eyes* hehe Oh, you like AWE the best? I didn't like it as much as CotBP and OST, but you know why. =P The spyglass thing in AWE was really cheesy but really funny too. XD I haven't seen it...is it good?_

_**PizzaAndTacosAndCheese: **Yay, you're back! *hugs* I get what you mean about losing your laptop...I'm always losing my shit. Or I'm getting in trouble. I think parents live just to drive me crazy. *rolls eyes* Omg, I know! Freaky leg. *hides with you somewhere* Norrie will save us from him! :D Lol, yes, some people will be getting hurt, but I won't tell you who. lol_

_**Sirius'OnlyLove: **Thanks! I hope he finds her soon too. Well, it's kinda cool. It's only 60 here right now and I'm happy for that. :D How cold is it by you? I think I should live in Maine someday. Yeah, I can so see Jack doing that! But of course it would have to be better than Barbossa's, you know? =P That's really cool about you being in musicals. What was the most recent one you've been in? It makes me mad sometimes too. I mean, there's a lot of work put into the music, you know? Yes, Theo is SO sweet. Hehe, yeah, I read in an interview with Mr. Ellis where he says that Grovesy secretly wants to turn pirate. XD I love abandon ship so much. It continues to make me laugh even after I've seen it one hundred times before. I don't know what they'll do for five and six, but I hope they put more Syrena/Philip in it. What do you want to be in it?_

_**SgtPeppersLonelyHearts: **Aw, I'm so glad you liked it! :D Yes, he totally loves her, but he won't admit it. =P I'll have to look it up! I think I've seen everything related to Damian on youtube, but hey, it never hurts to check. Hehe, do you like CotBP best for the same reasons as me? =P I'll cross my fingers for you! *crosses fingers* Btw, how old are you? You don't have to answer that, but for some reason I thought you were like 20 or something. =P Don't laugh at me if I'm way off. Yes, I get so excited over "ABANDON SHIP!" My dad teases me about it. *rolls eyes* Oh, have you seen The Ultimate Force with Damian? I was watching it and then he got shot and I was all like "NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" and then my mom thought I was being murdered or something. lol_

* * *

**Chapter XI**

_Then one day, she swam away_  
_ So I sang to the clams and the whales_  
_ "Oh, how I miss her seagreen hair_  
_ And the silvery shine of her scales_

"Wake up!" a voice growled in my ear. "Ye've been here only a few minutes and yet ye've already caused a mess."

Blinking, I sat up in the soft bed and tried to clear my vision. Clinging to the sheet covering my body, I looked around frantically to figure out where I was. I was still in the cabin on the bed where I had fallen asleep. Barbossa was standing over me, looking furious.

Needing to defend myself, I leaned against the wall and murmured, "I needed air. I couldn't breathe. The water was also too warm. If I had stayed in there, I would have died."

Barbossa pursed his lips and looked at the glass tank, trying to decide what to do with me. Finally, he said, "Wait here. I'll be back." Having no choice, I nodded and sat still on the bed. I couldn't have moved even if I had wanted to. My whole body was weak and ached. I longed to be in water again or to have something to drink.

Finally, about twenty minutes later, Barbossa returned with the glass box. It was filled with water, hopefully cool water. Dumping it down on the floor, Barbossa ordered, "That be where ye will stay, creature. Go. This be my bed, not yers."

Figuring I had better get off of the bed before Barbossa took matters into his own hands and moved me himself, I crawled across the bed and fell awkwardly to the ground. I hit my cheek against the hard wooden floorboards. Pain pulsated there, but I had no time to think about the pain when Barbossa's evil eyes were upon me. Instead, I had to crawl.

That was exactly what I did. I crawled all the way across the floor to the glass box like a little baby. Grabbing the sides of the box with my hands, I hauled myself up over the side and slipped into the water. My legs immediately started to fuse together to form my shimmery green tail. I sighed with relief; I felt so much stronger as a mermaid than as a weak human.

Having no need for the sheet any longer, I tossed it over the side of the box and looked up at Barbossa with innocent green eyes. I wasn't sure what to think about him. He had said he wanted to help me when we first met. He had acted like he wanted to make me human. However, I was just beginning to doubt him. The way he was treating me was less than caring.

Barbossa was currently wiping water off the ground with an old rag. His eyes were narrowed and I knew better than to speak to him. Once he had cleaned up all the water I had spilled from earlier, he sat on the bed and fixed me with a cold, icy stare.

Gulping, I felt defensive again and asked, "What do you want from me?"

Leaning forwards, he said, "I need but one tear. Ye may give it freely or it will be taken from ye."

Suddenly, my head was spinning. Gillette had warned me or this. He had warned me that his new captain was hunting a mermaid tear. Could it be that Hector Barbossa was the captain Gillette had warned me to stay away from?

Needing to know the answer to this, I looked up at him with wide eyes and asked, "Are you the captain of this ship?"

Looking a bit confused, Barbossa nodded and said, "Aye, I be the captain."

My eyes widened in horror. I had fallen right into Barbossa's trap. I was afraid of what he would do to me, afraid of how he said my tear would be taken if I did not give it willingly. One thing I knew for certain: I would not give the tear.

"You evil bastard!" I exclaimed, going to lunge at him.

Before I got too far, Barbossa drew his sword and pointed it at my heart. His eyes bore into mine as he said, "I'd be careful if I were ye. I could kill ye with one thrust of this sword and ye'd be a dead mermaid."

"I will not give a tear," I told him stubbornly, swimming away from the sword that was pointed at my chest.

"Ye will give a tear," Barbossa replied firmly. "I be givin' ye a choice. Ye could give a tear right now and save yerself a lot of pain."

"No," I said, flashing my eyes at him. I hated it when people told me when to do. "I will not give a tear."

Barbossa's cracked lips split into an evil smile. Nodding, he said, "Remember that be yer own choice. I need to go to the helm and check the heading. I will be back soon. Ye will stay right where ye are." With that said, Barbossa slipped a book under the lid of the glass box so I could have just enough air to breathe.

I was stuck in my glass box as Barbossa slammed and locked the door behind him. My eyes stared at where he had been moments ago with hatred. I couldn't believe he had lied to me. He wasn't going to make me human. All he wanted was to take my tear. Only god knew what he would do with me after that.

As I swam around frantically in the box, I found my heart was calling to Gillette. He had to be on deck somewhere. Taking a deep breath, I tried to speak to him from my mind. I cried out for help, but did not know if he could hear me or not.

Not much later, the door to the cabin opened and Barbossa stepped in. He had a large plate of something or another in his hands. He sat down on the bed across from me and opened the lid of my box again. I stared at him repulsively and swam to the far corner of the box. Barbossa merely smiled at me.

He picked up a fork and stabbed something on his plate. It looked...scaly. What was it?

"It be fish," Barbossa chuckled as he noticed me staring at the food on his plate.

My eyes narrowed at him in hatred once more. Fish should not be eaten. Fish were my friends. I had tended to a school of fish back at my home. They came to me for food and had learned to trust me. Having to watch Barbossa eat fish was torture. I turned my back to him and stared at the wall stubbornly.

A rough hand seized my shoulder and whipped me around. I met Barbossa's eyes with daggers gleaming in mine as he ordered, "Ye will watch."

Not wanting to know what he would do to me if I didn't watch, I choose to look at something behind his head and stayed quiet. Perhaps Gillette had been right. Perhaps I should've left and gone back to Port Royal. I certainly knew that I had been wrong to trust Barbossa. That had been where my mistake came into play. If I hadn't accepted Barbossa offer, I would never be in this mess.

Finally, Barbossa stood up. I figured he was finished eating and was finally going to leave me in peace. Unfortunately, that was not his intention at all. Instead, he took a few steps forwards and held out the remaining fish on the plate to me, saying, "Now it be yer turn. Finish this."

My eyes widened as I realized what he wanted me to do. He wanted me to eat one of my own kind. Angry rippled through my body. I would not put up with this. I did not have to and would choose not to.

Without thinking of the consequences of my actions, I threw my hand back and went to slap Barbossa. Unfortunately, he was faster. He grabbed my wrist and said, "Ye be powerless here. Ye have no right to threaten the captain of the ship."

My temper took control of me. I spat right in his face. Barbossa stared at me with a horrible look in his eyes. Abruptly, he grabbed his sword and threw it at me. In order to keep myself from getting injured, I ducked out of the way and spilled right out of the glass box. I landed on the floorboards, flicked my tail around, and turned human-like again.

I looked around frantically for something to cover my body with, but nothing was in sight. Barbossa had moved the sheet I had covered myself with earlier. Feeling quite small and helpless, I curled myself up and crossed my arms over my chest. Barbossa did not help the situation. He stared at my nakedness, a smile flitting around his lips.

"All I need is one tear," he told me. "Yer causing yer own problems."

I said nothing to that and suddenly cowered as he stepped towards me. My chest rose and fell rapidly as he leaned over me. He could smash my ribs with one punch or break my leg with one kick. Luckily, he did neither of those things. Instead, he picked me up and tugged my hair back off of my shoulders. I tried to cover my breasts, but he grabbed my arms and pinned them to my side.

A hot flush grew over my body as I felt Barbossa's eyes slide down my neck and focus on my chest hungrily. Surprisingly enough, he did not touch me. Instead, he put back in the water and said simply, "Ye should be considerin' yer options. I don't have time to put up with yer resistance."

He picked up the plate of fish and set it on the edge of my tank before saying, "Eat this. If yer not done by the time I return, I will peel the scales from yer body one by one."

With that said, Barbossa slipped out of the cabin and shut the door behind him. Luckily, he forgot to lock the door this time. That was a good sign, but nobody would come for me if they didn't even know that I was here to begin with.

I gazed at the plate of fish murderously. There was no way I was going to eat it and there was also no way for me to get rid of it. I was trapped.

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_Review? :)_


	13. Sleepy, Suspicions, & Rescued

_Hi everyone! How are you? I am SO tired and will definitely be going to bed after this. This chapter is in Gillette's POV._

**_Romeondjuliet4-ever: _**_Lol, yes, it is funny how she forgot all about her tail! Silly girl. Hm...yeah, you can still go after Barbossa, I'm good with that. I hope you get your computer working soon! *hugs*_

_**Flik: **That's okay, I'm so glad you're reviewing again! I loved your last fangirls chappie! Omg, I say Ultimate Force and he looks so young and cute! But ugh, did they have to shoot him? I hated it when blood came out of his throat/mouth whatever. :( Why do they always kill the cute guys? _

_**Sithlord8665: **Well...it's not over yet. He still might do something "bad", if you know what I'm saying. =P_

_**Moviac: **I did ask for torture methonds for a reason. *hints* I suppose I could give you a few hints. Let's just say that Nerissa won't be escaping very soon and that Barbossa will just get more upset with her. And about abuse, it's more likely to happen that not. Which reminds me that I should probably change my rating on this soon. I'll look at it when I get time, but I'm pretty busy, so you might have to give me a few days to get to it. _

_**Jojo: **You'll see in this chapter! Lol, he is evil. Especially in OST. Thanks for reading!_

_**12DEHD: **Hehe, devious stuff is good, but I might add some physical torture later. Yay, I'm glad to see you're still reading. I thought I might have lost you. lol_

_**AsininityJackal: **Yep! I saw him as really evil in OST...probably just because he was so mean to Groves and Gillette, you know? Lol, now you're going to have me checking it out. Let's see if I get obsessed with it!_

_**SgtPeppersLonelyHearts: **Barbossa is nasty! And aw, thanks for saying that you think I'm doing okay with him. I think he'll get a little OOC later, but I'm doing my best. Aw, I'm sorry you're not doing well either. *hugs* Omg, I was close! I'm never close at guessing ages. lol Yep, that's exactly why I like CotBP! Yeah, he gets shot, it's SO sad. *sobs* Lol, who were you sobbing over in HP? My mom does that with me and OST. I got so mad about them killing my men and she was all like "Jenna, it's JUST a movie." lol Thanks for reading!_

_**Sirius'OnlyLove: **Thanks! Omg, 80? Where do you live? You don't have to answer that if you don't want to. It's 70 here today, but I wish it was more like 50. Did you like having a duet? That sounds kinda cool! I know, there should totally be more appreciation for it! Omg, Grovsey would be the hottest pirate ever! Maybe he'd even take off his shirt. lol I totally agree with you about the fifth and sixth movie. I would LOVE to see Philip and Syrena back. Maybe they'll give us some more cute navy guys too? :)_

_**Whiteling: **Yay, new reader! Thanks so much for your reviews! Nerissa's hair is coppery/red, btw. :)_

* * *

**Chapter XII**

_So over I jumped and she pulled me down,_  
_ Down to her seaweed bed_  
_ A pillow made of tortoise-shell_

"Gillette, get up!" Theodore's frantic voice called to me.

"Mm?" I mumbled, keeping my face buried in the pillow.

There was a loud sigh from somewhere behind me as the pillow was yanked away from me and tossed across the room. I looked up to see an irritable Theodore glaring down at me.

"What?" I asked, very tired and in no mood to wake up anytime soon.

"It's dawn and we should be at the Providence," Theodore informed me. "The very last thing I want is to get off on the wrong start with Barbossa. Come along, Gillette! There will be time for sleeping later."

Supposing that he was right, I concealed a yawn and stumbled out of bed. My feet dragged across the room where I had left my clothes. Yawning again, I attempted to make my hair stop sticking up while I buttoned my shirt with the other hand.

Not in a mood to wait for me, Theodore frowned and said, "You can worry about your hair later. Besides, you'll be putting your wig on and nobody will even be able to see it."

Figuring he was right, I pulled on my coat, wig, and hat. Turning to Theodore, I said, "We were in a hurry, yes?"

Theodore nodded and opened the door to our room. I plodded out of it after him and almost tripped down the stairs as we exited the palace and stepped in the morning light. It was Theodore's turn to yawn as the two of us walked briskly towards the Providence.

Wanting to tease him, I smirked and said, "It appears that I am not the only one who is tired."

"I wonder why I'm tired," Theodore replied as we drew near to the Providence. Despite the fact that I had told her to leave, I searched the waters for a fleck of green.

Answering Theodore's statement, I looked up at him innocently and asked, "What did I do?"

"Besides for snoring in my ear all night long, nothing," Theodore said with a sideways glance.

Blushing, I mumbled an apology and continued scanning the sea as the two of us stepped up the ramp to the Providence. Barbossa was already on deck with the rest of the crew. When he saw us, he clunked over and replied a-matter-of-factly, "Yer late."

"Sorry, Sir, we-" Theodore started out.

Barbossa wasn't going to let Theodore finish his statement. He shoved the two of us out of his way with his cane and said, "Prepare to set sail! Lift the anchor!"

Theodore and I exchanged shrugs and stood at the helm. After we had set sail, I went over to the side of the ship and peered down at the water. Needless to say, I was looking for Nerissa.

Appearing at my side, Theodore asked quietly, "You're looking for her, aren't you?"

I nodded and felt another bad feeling emanating deep from my core once more. Frowning, I told Theodore, "I have that bad feeling about her again. I'm afraid she's hurt or in danger. I don't see her, do you?"

Theodore scanned the water and shook his head, saying, "No, I don't see her. Isn't that a good sign though? She listened to you. You told her to go back to her home."

"Yes, I did tell her that, but..." I trailed off, shaking my head. Something just felt wrong.

"But what?" Theodore pressed, raising an eyebrow.

"I don't think she would just leave like that," I told him slowly. "I know you don't know her, but she's a very stubborn woman. She's not one to just swim away because you tell her to. She has a mind of her own."

Theodore gave me a meaningful look and said, "Don't you think that this could be paranoia?"

"Perhaps," I replied, feeling a bit silly. I was making a mountain out of an ant hill. There was no need for all this worry. Theodore was most likely right; Nerissa had gone back to Port Royal like I had told her to. Yet, despite trying to reassure myself of this, I continued to feel like something was wrong. She was too stubborn to just swim away. Something had happened to her.

Just as I was about to tell Theodore this, a loud clunk sounded from behind us. We both looked over our shoulders to see Barbossa glaring at us. He raised an eyebrow at us and said, "I don't think this be yer typical stations. What do ye think, Mr. Groves?"

"No, Sir," Groves said quietly, looking ashamed.

"Back to yer stations then," Barbossa hissed, pointing for us to get away from the side of the ship.

Theodore immediately went back to his post. I couldn't help but scan the waters one last time for Nerissa. When I didn't see her, I sighed and went back to the helm. The day seemed to last an eternity. Barbossa yelled out orders every few minutes, which meant that Theodore and I never had a rest. Finally, the sunlight started to fade and night approached.

Glad that my shift was done, I went straight to the stairs that led to below the decks. As I walked, Barbossa suddenly whipped his head around and gave me a pointed look, asking, "Where ye be goin', Mr. Gillette?"

"To my cabin," I replied, wondering why he was asking me about it, "My shift for the night is over."

Barbossa thought about this for a moment and then nodded. He replied, "Go straight there then."

I nodded and stepped down the stairs after waving to Theodore. Something in Barbossa's tone of voice had made me suspicious. He seemed so jumpy about me going below decks and that comment about "going straight there" only confirmed my belief. Was Barbossa hiding something below decks? I intended to find that out.

There were lots of cabins below the deck and I decided to start with the ones closest to me and work my way down them. The first three cabins were empty. The four one contained some grumpy old sailor who cursed when I opened the door. Apologizing quickly, I shut the door and tried to come up with another strategy.

Barbossa would most likely be staying in the largest cabin, right? I scanned down the halls and located the largest cabin at the far end of the hall. Surprisingly enough, the room was directly across from mine. Taking a deep breath, I approached it and turned the knob. To be honest, I was surprised the door wasn't locked. If Barbossa was hiding something from us, wouldn't he keep the door locked? Perhaps not. He wasn't exactly the brightest of fellows.

I stepped inside the room and decided immediately that it was the captain's quarters. There was a large bed in the center of the room and a desk to the left of it. Upon the desk was a lantern that was the only light source in the room and a key. Something quickly caught my attention. It smelled like fish in here.

Turning around, I suddenly noticed a large glass prism. Raising the lantern, I went over to the prism and saw a figure trapped inside the prism. On the ledge of the container was a plate of fish. Wrinkling my nose, I tossed the plate of fish on the bed and pushed the lid of the prism open.

Gasping, I saw coppery hair and a shimmery green tail. Nerissa was trapped in the box. Shining the lantern light over the tank, I whispered urgently, "Nerissa? Can you hear me?"

Nerissa didn't move. She just continued floating on her stomach. If it weren't for the fact that she looked dead, I would've let her rest. Since she did look dead, I tried to wake her up by reaching into the tank and putting a hand on a slick shoulder. Nerissa immediately jerked up, eyes flashing around the room nervously. Her breath came in short puffs and she looked like she was scared.

"It's only me," I told her soothingly. "The captain isn't here."

Nerissa stopped searching the room and looked up at me. Blinking, recognition filled her face and she suddenly rose out of the prism. Wondering if she was going to attack me, I stepped back nervously as she threw her arms around my neck and pressed her upper body against mine.

"Gillette!" she cried out in a joyful voice. "You came for me!"

I nodded and tentatively wrapped my arms around her. She pushed herself closer to me and tucked her head under my chin. For a few moments, I just held her. She seemed to need the comfort and I was willing to give her whatever she wanted despite the fact that the front of my shirt was now soaked.

Finally, I had to ask the question that kept running through my mind, "What happened to you?"

Slipping back into the water, Nerissa stuck just her head and shoulders out of the tank as she said, "I was a fool."

I crouched down next to the tank so we were at eye level and said, "No, you are not a fool. Tell me what happened to you."

Nerissa hesitated and said, "I did not listen to you. After you warned me about the evil captain, a man approached me on the beach. He said he would make me human if I came on a journey with him. I said yes. It never occurred to me that it was all a trick. The man put me in this...prison. The water was too hot and he didn't give me air. I almost died."

Anger at Barbossa raced crimson and furiously through my veins. I wanted to murder Barbossa on the spot.

Nerissa wasn't done. She continued, "He came to me this morning and said he needed a tear. I could give it or he would take it. I would not give it. I still will not give it. I will never give a tear to that vile man. Never!"

As Nerissa said this, I saw her for once as the deadly creature she was. Her eyes shone with venom and her little fists clenched murderously.

"Nerissa, please..." I said, reaching out to her and trying to get her to calm down.

When I put my hand on the edge of the prism, Nerissa turned it over so it was palm-up and put her chin in it. Blinking up at me with trusting green jewels, she said, "He tried to torture me into giving him the tear. He ate fish in front of me and then tried to make me eat this." She pointed at the plate on the bed. "I will never eat fish. They are my friends. I had my own school of fish where I came from."

I found myself getting distracted as I watched her. She was beautiful when she was angry with her red lips in a stubborn pout and her eyes flashing. Trying to force myself back to reality, I said, "You don't have to eat it. I'll get rid of it."

Taking off my hat, I dumped the rotting fish remnants inside it to make it look like Nerissa had eaten them. Turning to her, I said, "We have to get you out of here."

Nerissa nodded quickly, but replied, "I see no easy ways to do that. If you carry me up to the deck, someone will see us. The cruel captain is either on deck or is in here with me. There is no way out of this."

It broke my heart to see her despairing. Thinking about what to do, I gave her advice that I will always regret. I said, "Whatever you do, do not give him the tear, Nerissa. As soon as he has the tear, you'll no longer be needed. He can dispose of you in any way he wishes."

I didn't mean to scared her, but I needed her to understand what might happen if she gave in to Barbossa. He was an evil man with his eyes only set on the fountain. He wouldn't think twice about killing a thousand mermaids to get to it.

"I will not," Nerissa confirmed with a firm not. "I will never give him my tear."

Suddenly, there were distance clunking noises from a little ways away. There was only one explanation for those footsteps: Barbossa. I had to get out of here before he found me visiting Nerissa.

"I have to leave," I told her, glancing nervously behind me at the door.

Nerissa watched me as I returned the lantern to the desk, pocketed the key lying there, and replaced the empty plate of food back on the edge of the tank. Before I could close the lid to the prism, Nerissa looked up at me and said my name, "Gillette?"

I paused and looked at her. Staring into my eyes, she kicked herself out of the water, placed her hands on my chest, and then lightly brushed her lips against mine before retreating to the depths of her glass prison. My heart seemed to be pounding against my ribs as I closed the lid of her prism and slipped out of the door of Barbossa cabin and into my own.

I was just in time. Only moments later came the sound of Barbossa's peg leg and the creaking of his cabin door. It took a lot of self restraint to keep myself inside my cabin. I couldn't believe this captain was so cruel. Making Nerissa eat fish had obviously been torture for her. What would come next? Would Barbossa continue to torture her until she gave in to his wishes?

I didn't not know the answer to this and had no easy ways to get Nerissa out of this. Lying back in bed, I feel asleep in the cabin that now smelled of rotting fish.

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_Review please? :)_


	14. Master, Slaves, & Branding

_Hi everyone! I'm actually somewhat awake this morning. Yay. lol How are you all doing? This chapter is back in Syrena's POV. Also, I started another fic called "Behind Closed Doors" if anyone wants to read it. It's going to be mainly about Grovsey and Norrie. Anyways, enough of my advertising. _

_**Jojo: **Yes, she kissed him! Woo! :D That's okay, I can get SO hyper and then I can't stop talking. Lol, Barbossa is a cool name! Haha, I wish I could lose that much, but I have eating problems, so my parents always make me eat even when I'm sick. *sadface*_

_**Sirius'OnlyLove: **Yes, let's hope he gets her out of there soon! I totally get that about working together with so many people. Do you have quite a few friends then, I'm guessing? Ooo, 80? That sounds horrible. Do you like it where you live? I want to move really bad. And omg, exactly. I loves Groves! I really want to see what Syrena did with Philip after the end of OST. It's such a mystery. lol_

_**Knight Mistress: **Ooo, a new reader! Yay! Thanks for reviewing. I hope you keep reading!_

**_PizzaAndTacosAndCheese: _**_Lol, I don't mind ranting! I rant like all the time, but I've already said that. =P I rant a lot about Barbossa in OST actually. My mom is sick and tired of hearing about it. Oh yes, sweet tragedy! You know how I love tragic endings...*smirks*_

_**12DEHD: **LOL, that is pretty funny about chapter 10! I wonder how that happened. Ooo, you can speak Davy and Tia? Isn't that hard to do? I couldn't do it to save my life. And aw, thanks so much for your compliments! :)_

_**Sithlord8665: **Yep, Nerissa won't give in a give a tear, but we know how Barbossa will try and force it from her. =/ Thanks for reading!_

**_Moviac: _**_Funny that you mention that about my other fic, because I was starting to think the same thing. That's the reason why I'm not doing AWE. It's too hard to add eleven fangirls into a story and make a plot with each one of them, you know? I didn't know half the girls either so I didn't know what else to have them do besides for following the guys around, you know? But yeah, I like writing this one better too. If you want to read one of my other stories, I'd recommend the other Norrie and Gillette one. _

**_SgtPeppersLonelyHearts: _**_Thank you! I'm glad I left you feeling like you'd want to read more. :) I'm glad you're feeling better! I'm kinda better today. lol Aw, that sucks about HP! Are you a big HP fan? I was mad when Bellatrix died. lol I know, right? It's so unfair about our poor navy boys. *sobs* Cool! Maybe I can get around to reading it later. Thanks for your review!_

* * *

**Chapter XII**

_I'll tell you a tale of the bottomless blue_

_And it's hey to the starboard, heave ho_

_Look out, lad, a mermaid be waiting for you_

_In mysterious fathoms below  
_

"So ye ate the fish, did ye?" Barbossa asked, smiling as he saw the clean plate lying on the rim of my prison. That was what the glass box was to me now - a prison. I was locked up in it and was not allowed out. It was like I was a slave and Barbossa was my master.

I didn't say yes or no to Barbossa's question. He must not know me very well if he thought I would just give in and eat the fish. That was not my way. I didn't look at him as he walked around my prison. Instead, I looked at the bottom of my tank and wished he would just go away. Unfortunately, he didn't.

"I be a pirate who keeps to his word and so I won't torture ye anymore tonight," Barbossa said with an evil wink. "But I be expectin' that tear from ye tomorrow. If not, ye know what will happen."

"I will give you no tear," I told him, speaking little.

"Nay?" Barbossa questioned, walking closer to the tank and leaning over me in a dominating manner. "Ye will give the tear. Ye will give in just like ye gave in with the fish. From the looks of things, ye won't last long."

My eyes flashed daggers at him, but I said nothing. Little did he know that I had not eaten the fish and would never have given into something like that. Mermaids were moral creatures; we stuck up for what was right even in the worse scenarios.

After a long look, Barbossa walked across the room and shrugged off his jacket. My eyes followed him, wondering if he was done with me for the night and if I would be allowed to rest in peace. As if sensing my gaze, Barbossa turned around and looked at me. A low chuckle came from his throat as he said, "I be going to have to do something with ye for night, won't I?"

Not sure what he had in mind, all I could do was swim around in circles as Barbossa grabbed a heavy blanket off of the bed and threw it over my prison. I hissed at him as the darkness encompassed me. Barbossa merely laughed and clunked around the room with his peg leg. Finally, after about twenty minutes, I heard the bed creak and all went silent.

Figuring that Barbossa had finally gone to bed, I turned to a sleeping position in the water and let my thoughts take me over. I was stuck. Irresolutely and horribly stuck. There was just no way out of this. Barbossa wouldn't let me go until I had given him my tear. Once I had given him the tear, he would no doubt kill me or torture me to my death. Gillette was right; I would not give him the tear.

Regardless, my fate didn't exactly look good. Both choices resulted in my death. I was worried, but was actually surprised how calm I was acting. Typically, I would be hyperventilating or making myself sick in a situation like this. For some reason, I had faith. I had faith in Gillette, faith in myself, and faith that everything would work out. Of course this was silly, but I didn't know that at the time.

Now that I was thinking of Gillette, I let my mind wander. The more time I spent with him, the more I liked him. I could see why I had marked him. We were perfect together. I was already bonded to him even if he was not bonded to me. Actually, I was having more romantic feelings towards him ever since he had visited me an hour ago. That had been why I had kissed him. I wasn't sure if he was alright with that or not. I knew I was forcing myself on him to some extent, but I couldn't help it. My bond to him was too strong.

I fell asleep with these thoughts in my mind. I hoped that we would become inseparable and that he would learn to return my love. I hoped for many things, but soon realized that hoping was not the same as getting.

I was roughly awakened the next morning by having my head smashed against one of the walls of my prison. Barbossa had removed the blanket off of the tank and was now shaking it back and forth to wake me up. It had worked; I was certainly up now.

I changed out of a sleeping position and popped my head out of the water, fixing him with my angry green eyes. Barbossa smiled evilly at me and said, "Ah, yer awake. All I be needin' is one tear. Won't ye cry?"

"No," I said coldly, looking at him from down my nose even though I was lower in this hierarchy.

Barbossa's temper flashed and his hand slipped into my imprisonment. His hand made for my neck, but I was quicker. I jerked my head forwards and sank one of the fangs in the back of my mouth into his flesh. He let out a strangled noise and jerked his bloody hand out of my tank. I gave him a murderous look, not regretting what I had done.

"Filthy creature," Barbossa hissed at me. "Remember that ye brought all this down on yerself. I'll be back."

With that said, Barbossa slipped out of the cabin. I watched him go with satisfaction. I was glad I had hurt him and hoped that he had realized that I was not always a weak, powerless being. In my true form, I could put up a fight.

Bored, I swam around for a bit and then let my mind wander. I daydreamed what it would be like to be human. If I were human, I could get right out of this prison, walk out on deck, and fit in with all the others. I could be Gillette's wife and he could love me and...

Creak! The door to the cabin opened. I frowned and swam to the corner of my cage. Barbossa had just left. He couldn't be back already, could he? Unfortunately, yes. He stood in the doorway with a smirk on his face. Obviously up to something, he walked up to my cage and said, "Are ye goin' to cooperate with me this time?"

"No," I said again, giving him a nasty look.

Barbossa's face lit up diabolically and he said, "If that be yer choice, ye must endure the consequences."

Before I could register what was happening to me, a brown cloth bag was thrown around my head. I hissed and tried to bite at it, but it did no good. Barbossa tied the bag around my neck with a rope. He didn't try to suffocate me with the rope. It was only used to secure the bag.

Next, I felt hands on my body. Hands up on my chest where they shouldn't be and down by my waist. I twisted and turned, trying to wriggle away. Barbossa chuckled and lifted me up out of the water before tossing me onto the floor. I hit it with a loud smack. Trying to act tough, I did not whimper or make any sort of noise.

From a ways away, I could hear crackling and feel warmth. Was it a fire? I could not tell. Already, my tail was started to split. I flicked it around awkwardly, but it did no good. A minute later, I was weak and powerless on the floor. I had no energy for fighting anymore. I just lay on there with my head on the floor.

More warmth came from a short distance away. What was going to happen to me? Was Barbossa trying to burn me alive? I shivered from fear and waited to see what would happen. Loud clunks sounded from nearby. Barbossa was approaching me.

"I be willin' to give ye one more chance. Will ye give a tear?" Barbossa asked in my ear.

I could feel the warmth of his breath against my back. He was very near to me now. Regardless, I had to stand firm. Gillette had told me not to give a tear. I would not give one. I shook my head.

"So be it," Barbossa chuckled in my ear.

I heard something sizzling, but knew not what it was. Suddenly, there were hands on my bare back. They slipped up under my strands of coppery hair and pushed it away from my neck. My heartbeats grew frantic and quicker. Was he going to rape me?

Suddenly, something scorching hot was placed right below my neck. I couldn't help it; I screamed. Barbossa clapped a hand over my mouth and kept the hot metal on my neck. I twisted and squirmed, but couldn't get away. The heat burned into my skin, causing my whole body to writhe.

It seemed as if Barbossa held the heated metal to my neck for hours even though it couldn't have been that long. When he finally moved it, I collapsed on the ground. Silent tears wanted to pool down my face and I was biting the bag furiously to keep from crying out.

"F for fish," Barbossa said from not very far away. "Perhaps now ye'll remember what ye be. Nothin' more than a fish."

With that said, he picked me up again and tossed me roughly into the glass prison. I hit the bottom of it with a loud clunk. Before my legs disintegrated into my tail, Barbossa whipped the bag off of my head and closed the lid of the prison. I stared around with dazed eyes, unable to see anything. I wasn't even conscious of the fact that Barbossa had left.

As I tried to calm my frantically beating heart and the sizzling on my back, my vision slowly started to clear. So Barbossa had branded me with an F that stood for fish. That F would always be engraved on my flesh. It would be a reminder of how powerless I was as I human. It showed that Barbossa was my master. I was nothing more than his slave.

Now that my body had gone somewhat back to normal, I swam slowly around my tank and tried to think of an escape route. Nothing came to me. My mind was blank. Sighing, I turned and tried to look at the mark on my back. Unfortunately, no matter how much I twisted my neck, I couldn't see anything.

As I continued to try and crane my neck, I felt an emotion that was not mine. I felt anxiety and irritation. Where were those emotions coming from? I wasn't anxious anymore. Perhaps I was scared, but scared and anxious aren't exactly the same things. I was also upset and angry, but not irritable.

This was quite strange. I wondered where these unknown feelings were coming from. I would've tried to figure it out, but I didn't have the strength for that at the moment. Even though I was in my stronger form, I was still very weak from the branding. Flipping over to my side, I closed my eyes and tried to sleep the pain away.

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_Review? :)_


	15. Spanish, More Sails, & Kissing

_Hi everyone! Hope you're all doing well. This chapter is in Gillette's P.O.V._

**_Flik: _**_Yes, Barbossa is a little whacked in this. lol I know, we totally need a TV show where poor Fluffy doesn't die. I don't think he dies in The Royal or Taking the Flak. I need to watch those more. =P_

_**Moviac: **Yes, the must've been really painful! I did make Nerissa tough. I remember that Blackbeard said something about mermaids being tough in OST, so that's where my idea came from. Thanks for reading!_

_**12DEHD: **Lol, evil Barbossa! And aw, thanks so much! I'm blushing again. hehe_

**_Sithlord8665: _**_You're right about both things! She'll never give in and the torture will become much worse. =/ Thanks for reading!_

**_Romeonejuliet4-ever: _**_Lol, that's okay! Glad you liked the chapter though. :D_

_**SgtPeppersLonelyHearts: **I'd definitely be crying too. But I think mermaids cry only when they're happy, right? I know, there's something you've just gotta love about Bellatrix. hehe Thanks for reading!_

_**Beckettfangirl: **Yay, I'm so glad you're reading this too! I agree, Barbossa is a big meanie. LOL, what did your mom say? That's funny. XD_

**_Whiteling: _**_You're right; it is pretty awful. Thanks for reviewing! :3_

_**PizzaAndTacosAndCheese: **Lol, let's let Chuck Norris do it. xD Ha, I can add my perfuume to the collection and then we'll have two walls of perfume. I wonder if he'd pass out from all of it? *thinks about this*_

**_Sirius'OnlyLove: _**_Barbossa is kinda stupid. :( So you like the school you're at then? I've always wanted to go to a bigger school. lol It's nice that you have so many friends though. It's already hot here today. *sighs* I totally need to move. Have you ever lived anywhere else? It makes me upset too, I so want to know what happened to Syrena and Philip! lol_

_**Jojo: **Yes, poor Nerissa! Glad you're liking the chapters though! :D_

* * *

**Chapter XIV**

_So over I jumped and she pulled me down,_  
_ Down to her seaweed bed_  
_ A pillow made of tortoise-shell_  
_ She placed beneath my head_

I stood besides the helm with a stubborn frown on my face. Despite the blue skies and still waters, I was in a very bad mood. If only I had warned Nerissa sooner or told her to go back to Port Royal before we reached England. Unfortunately, I had not and now she was Barbossa's prisoner.

"Gillette, are you alright?" a familiar voice asked me.

Blinking, I looked up to see a concerned Theodore by my side. He wasn't suppose to be standing over here since it was not his post, but apparently he had decided to disobey Barbossa. I smiled at that thought, but when I thought of Nerissa, but smile vanished.

Answering Theodore's question, I mumbled, "Me? I'm fine, yes."

Theodore wasn't buying it. He crossed his arms and gave me a suspicious look, saying, "Out with it. I can always tell when you're hiding something from me. What is it?"

As inconspicuously as possible, I turned my head and tried to see where Barbossa was. To my delight, he was standing at the opposite end of he ship and was talking to Charles.

"It's Nerissa," I finally whispered back to Theodore. "Barbossa has her captive."

"Captive?" Theodore echoed, looking surprised. "But how did that happen? I thought you warned her."

"Yes, but Barbossa tricked her," I replied with a frown. "He said he would turn her into a human if she would come on the journey to the Fountain with him. Nerissa was innocent enough not to know he was lying to her until it was too late."

"Hm, so she hasn't given him the tear he needs for the Fountain?" Theodore asked. Randomly, he sniffed and made a face saying, "On a very unrelated note, you smell strongly like fish."

"No, she has not given him the tear," I replied him. After taking a sniff, I realized that Theodore was right and that I did smell strongly of dead fish. I explained this by adding, "Barbossa was trying to make her eat fish. For a mermaid, eating fish would be like breaking the law."

Theodore nodded and gave me a knowing look, saying, "And so I'm assuming that you did something with the fish so that she wouldn't have to eat it?"

I nodded and replied, "I put it in my hat, but I don't the stench has gone away yet."

Wrinkling his nose, Theodore said, "Apparently not."

Turning back to him, I said, "I'm worried about her though. Barbossa is torturing her. If she won't give a tear, he'll do something horrible to her. If she does give him the tear, he'll be able to dispose of her."

"True," Theodore replied before elbowing me.

Looking behind me, I could see Barbossa approaching. I gave Theodore a small smile before he went off to his appropriate station. Barbossa approached me and gave me a funny look. It was almost as if he had known what Theodore and I had just been talking about. I gave him a steady look that was laced with indignation.

Barbossa stepped forwards and started to open his mouth. Before he could say anything, his eyes fell on another unlucky soul. It was Mr. Gibbs, the one who had burned the map. Barbossa clunked over to him and said, "Perhaps ye could be kind enough as to provide us with a headin', Mr. Gibbs?"

Gibbs hesitated and said, "Aye, but perhaps I could have a quick gulper first?"

Theodore and I exchanged disgusted looks. What made Gibbs think we'd be keeping bottles of rum on this ship?

"Nay," Barbossa replied to Gibbs' question with a frown. "We be privateers, not pirates. Now what about a headin'?"

Gibbs paused. An ominous silence fell. Gibbs looked nervous. If I didn't know better, I would assume that he had no idea which way we were suppose to be going. Good god, at this rate we could be sailing to Africa.

"Be we on the proper course, Gibbs?" Barbossa asked, starting to get annoyed.

"Aye, it be proper," Gibbs nodded. "There's your proof right there."

We all turned to look at what Gibbs was pointing at. Large ships were sailing by peacefully to our left. Under his breath, Barbossa hissed, "The Spanish." Already Theodore was at the side of the ship with a spyglass in hand. Barbossa snatched it out of his hand and started yelling out orders.

A bit distracted, I didn't hear anything he said besides for his last two words, which I echoed to look like I was doing something, "Two points!"

The men continued racing around the ship until the cannons were ready and were prepared for a fight. Barbossa was still standing by the side of the ship, looking through his spyglass. Theodore ran to his side and pressed, "Orders, Sir? Sir?"

Barbossa didn't answer as the Spanish ships passed by the Providence. The Spaniards didn't even glance in our direction as they glided passed our ship. It was as if they didn't even notice us.

"It appears we are not worth the time it would take to sink us," Barbossa said. "The Fountain is the prize and now we've fallen behind. More sails!"

We all quickly returned to our stations before Barbossa could yell at any of us. I stood by the helm and watched the Spanish with narrowed eyes. Apparently, we weren't the only ones after the Fountain. Despite my doubts, maybe there was a Fountain of Youth after all.

The rest of the day seemed indefinitely long. Perhaps that was because I wanted to go visit Nerissa more than anything at the moment. Finally, my watch ended. Not wanting to look too suspicious, I ambled across the deck and down the stairs to the cabin. I could feel Barbossa's eyes on me, but he said nothing. Good.

Once I was out of view, I picked up my pace and hurried to Barbossa's cabin. As before, the door was unlocked. I wondered if Barbossa had even noticed that I had stolen his key. Perhaps not.

I put my hand to the doorknob and turned it. There was a loud creak as I stepped inside the cabin. I bit my lip at the loud sound and prayed that Barbossa hadn't heard it. Deciding to take my chances, I shut the door behind me as quietly as I could and took another step forward. As before, there was a lantern on the opposite side of the room.

After picking up the lantern, I went to the glass prism and slowly lifted the lid. Since the glass was translucent, I could see Nerissa lying on her side. Her eyes were closed and she looked like she was sleeping. Her hair was floating behind her, giving me a unobstructed view of her chest. Her breasts were firm and perky. I had an impulse to touch one of them.

Forcing these kinds of thoughts back, I leaned down over the tank and whispered, "Nerissa?"

There was a moment of silence before Nerissa jerked out of her slumber. A coppery head appeared out of the water a moment later. I noticed that she didn't hug me this time. She looked tired or like she was in pain. Regardless, she managed a smile for me.

Putting my hand into the cold water she was swimming around in, I asked, "Are you alright? What has happened to you?"

"I will be fine. He branded me with an F," Nerissa explained as she looked at my hand in the water. She picked it up and started kissing each finger pad, her eyes never leaving mine.

Trying not to get distracted, I gave her a look of horror and asked, "He actually branded you? With what did he do it with?"

"I do not know," Nerissa admitted. "He put a bag over my head." Still looking me in the eye, she slipped her pink tongue out of her mouth and started running it down my fingers.

Ignoring the heat and tingling in my hand, I asked tentatively, "May I see it?"

"See what?" Nerissa asked. "The mark?"

I nodded as she sucked on my fingertip before releasing it.

"It's on the back of my neck," Nerissa murmured. She floated on her stomach in the glass prism and tugged her hair off her neck. In the center of it was a large burn mark. It made me furious. I wanted to go to Barbossa and do the exact same thing to him.

"He is a horrible man," I told her Nerissa. "He did this only since you refused to give him a tear?"

"He did," Nerissa confirmed. "I suppose I should consider myself lucky. He could have raped me."

"He wouldn't dare," I hissed. As much as I disliked Barbossa, I didn't actually think he would rape Nerissa.

"You don't know that," Nerissa replied with a sigh as she propped her head up on the side of the tank.

I wanted to argue with her and say that of course he would never lay a hand on her, but she was unfortunately right. There was no way for me to keep her safe.

Wanting to change the subject, I asked, "What do you think of this Fountain of Youth? Do you think it really exists?"

"The Fountain?" Nerissa echoed. A strange expression appeared on her face. Finally, she nodded and said, "Yes. The Fountain is real. Gemma told me that. Gemma knows almost everything."

So the Fountain was real. Raising an eyebrow at her, I asked, "How far away from it are we?"

"I cannot be certain, but I feel we are quite far away still," Nerissa said with a sigh. "That means Barbossa will have plenty more time to come up with creative ways to torture me into giving him a tear."

"You will be alright. I'll do my best to get you out of here," I told her, looking at the tank with murderous eyes.

"You would do that? For me?" Nerissa looked shocked and touched.

"Of course I would do it for you," I replied, my brown eyes meeting her green ones. There was a silence between us. Nerissa continued to prop herself up on the edge of the tank. Wondering if I could risk it, I leaned closer to her. We were only centimeters apart now and Nerissa was still staring at me with those beautiful emeralds. Unable to help myself, I reached out and took her face in my hands before kissing her lips.

The sensation that ran through me was very strange. Her lips were so cold against mine, yet the kiss felt right. Nerissa kissed me back with just as much passion. She rose out of the water slightly to twine her arms around my neck. My lips continued to travel over Nerissa's, exploring the shape and feel of them.

We kissed until there was a clunking sound from the stairs. Nerissa and I quickly broke apart. Nerissa's face was flushed slightly, but she looked happy.

Looking behind me, I said, "I must leave before Barbossa comes."

"I know," Nerissa sighed, looking sad. "I wish you could stay. You will come back, no?"

"I will come as often as I can," I promised her before I closed the lid on the tank and replaced the lantern. After that, I quickly slipped out of the door and into my own cabin. At least this time I wasn't hauling around a plate of rotten fish.

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_Review? :)_


	16. White Cap Bay, Overboard, & Deserters

_Hello everyone, thanks for all the kind reviews! This chapter is in Gillette's POV._

_**Jojo: **It was mean, but glad you liked it anyways! I hope you keep reading. :)_

_**Sithlord8665: **Thanks! Here's your update. :3_

_**Beckettfangirl: **Omg, I do that same thing if some guy I like is on TV. XD What's your favorite show with Tom in it?_

_**PizzaAndTacosAndCheese: **No, seriously, I totally get how much you hate Barbossa. I keep wanting to throw popcorn at him when I go to the movies. One of these days I'll actually do it. XD Hehe, I love smut scenes. I swear I'm going to do a fic about some whore just so I can write smut scenes. Have you seen From Hell? I was thinking about basing it on that, but anyways...I am blabbing. =P_

_**Annabeth-Kahlan-Alanna-Cara: **Thank you! You'll see soon...but you'll have to keep reading. :)_

_**SgtPeppersLonelyHearts: **Omg, I am such a sucker for romance too. There will be a LOT more romance in this fic. Some people say I overdo it, but I have too much fun writing romance scenes and have to post them. =P And thanks! Hope you keep reading. :D_

_**Moviac: **Well, to answer your question, I'm basically following the plot of OST. Have you seen it? Anyways, I think that the Providence has to sail through White Cap Bay to reach the location of the Fountain. So even though they don't need a mermaid, they have to travel through it to reach the Fountain. Did that make sense? I hope so. :)_

_**KnightMistress: **You're right; that wasn't very nice! But she is lucky to have Gillette. hehe Thanks for reading!_

* * *

**Chapter XV**

_ In the black hours when I lie sleepless, _  
_ near drowning, dread-heavy, your face _  
_ is the bright lure I look for, love's hook _  
___piercing me, hauling me cleanly up._

As usual, I was standing by the helm, minding my own business. Well, trying to mind my own business. It isn't easy not to listen when the men behind you are chattering in low voices. They were talking about White Cap Bay. I didn't know much about White Cap Bay, which was partially why I was listening into the conversation.

"I hear devil fish swim in those waters," a man behind me pointed out.

"Ha, devil fish won't harm you," another man replied. "It's those mermaids you've got to watch out for. They're the ones to fear."

The mention of mermaids immediately had my attention. I stepped a little closer to the men to try and hear what they were saying.

"Mermaids?" the first sailor asked. "You don't actually believe in mermaids, do you?"

A familiar voice piped up, "Oh, mermaids are real alright. I killed one in the bay of Port Royal just before we left. Haven't you heard?"

My eyes narrowed at Charles' voice. If he had actually killed Nerissa, I would've strangled him by now. Since he hadn't, I didn't have much of a choice but to continue eavesdropping on the conversation.

At Charles' words, the first man added, "You know, I have heard that a kiss from a mermaid can make all your dreams come true."

"I've also heard that a mermaid can drown a sailor within a few minutes," the second man replied. "They drown the sailors and then eat them. Have you ever actually heard of a man who survived a mermaid's kiss? No. The mermaids kill all sailors."

Again, I was tempted to tell the sailors my opinion on this matter. Once again, I managed to resist.

From out of the corner of my eye, I could see Theodore approaching Barbossa. Barbossa was sitting on a little chair in front of a small table. Upon the table was a glass of wine and a plate of apples. Barbossa was eating the apples primly with a fork and was dabbing his mouth with a little white cloth.

Clearing his throat, Theodore explained, "There are rumors as to our destination, Sir."

"Shut yer trap and carry on," Barbossa said, making my blood boil.

Theodore's face stiffened and I could tell he was having a hard time not cursing at Barbossa. Pressing the matter, he said, "No disrespect, Sir, but the men will not carry on until they know our destination."

"Speak the word that the men fear," Barbossa ordered, getting to his feet.

Looking directly into his eyes, Theodore replied, "White Cap Bay."

Barbossa nodded as if he had been expecting this. He pushed Theodore out of the way with his cane and went to stand next to me at the helm. I glared at him even though he wasn't looking at me.

"White Cap Bay," Barbossa said as all the men turned to watch him. "The home of seagulls, devil fish, and mermaids. Ye know it be said that a mermaid can drown a sailor and tear the flesh from his body."

A loud hum went through the sailors as they all looked at one another in fear. Suddenly, one man went running towards the side of the ship and clumsily dove into the water.

"Man overboard!" Theodore yelled, about to give orders. Before he could say anything more, Barbossa put a hand up to stop him. Looking confused, Theodore asked, "Come about?"

"Nay," Barbossa said, "He is naught but a deserter." Turning to the crew, he said, "I will not ask any more of ye than what each of ye have to offer, but I will ask this: are we not king's men?"

All the men exchanged glances and nodded.

Barbossa looked happy with the answer and continued on, "Are we not on the king's mission?"

There was another nod.

"Very well then. Carry on," Barbossa ordered. "But since ye'll seem to have a fear of mermaids, I will show ye that ye have nothin' to fear. They are completely harmless."

The crew exchanged confused glances and went back to their duties. Nobody knew what Barbossa was going to do except for me. As he disappeared down the stairs, I raced to Theodore's side and hissed, "What should we do?"

Theodore looked at me like I had lost it. Raising an eyebrow, he asked, "Pardon me?"

Pointing to where Barbossa had disappeared, I explained, "He's going to show them Nerissa. What should we do?"

"I really don't think we can 'do' anything in this situation, Gillette," Theodore said with a sigh. "Barbossa is our captain. We are just the Lieutenants. I highly doubt he'll do anything too vicious to her since he still needs her tear."

Hoping that he was right, I nodded and waited for Barbossa to appear. I couldn't stand still. I paced back and forth on the deck. Some of the men shot me annoyed glances, but I ignored them. A moment later, Barbossa appeared with Nerissa's tank. As the clunks of his peg leg sounded, the entire crew turned to look at him. When they saw Nerissa, their eyes widened.

Putting Nerissa's prism against one of the sides of the ship, Barbossa pointed to it and said, "This be a mermaid. See how weak and powerless she is? Ye have nothin' to fear from mermaids."

Nerissa swam back and forth in her tank irritably. She gave the men a murderous glances and made sure he hair was covering her chest. I longed to go to her, but knew that would only cause problems.

From next to me, Charles still couldn't keep quiet. He frowned and pointed at Nerissa, saying, "But that's the mermaid I killed back in Port Royal! She can't be alive?"

Barbossa smirked at him and said, "She be quite alive, lad."

Charles frowned and shook his head vigorously, saying, "No, I'm positive it's the same mermaid. She had copper hair and green eyes. They have to be the same! Why didn't she die?"

"Perhaps ye didn't hit her with yer knife after all," Barbossa suggested. "Mermaids be quick and hard to catch."

"But I was positive I hit her!" Charles continued to protest.

Suddenly, Charles was stalking towards the glass box with knife in hand. His eyes were narrowed and he looked angry. Whatever he was about to do next could not be good. Unfortunately, he was moving too fast for anyone to stop him. Once he was standing in front of the tank, he used both arms and heaved the lid off.

"I'm gonna kill you once and for all, mermaid!" he yelled, throwing his arm back in preparation to drive the blade of his knife through Nerissa's heart. At this, my own heart started racing and I felt anger sizzling through my veins.

Before Charles could throw his knife, Nerissa rose out of the water, beautiful and haunting. There was something in her eyes that was different though. They flashed vengefully and there was a cold smirk on her red lips. Charles hesitated. That hesitation was all that Nerissa needed. She grabbed Charles' neck and yanked him towards her.

Everyone watched the scene in slow motion as Nerissa bit into Charles' throat, releasing her fangs into the tender flesh. Instead of letting him go, Nerissa dragged her teeth all the way down Charles' neck. Blood spurted everywhere and Charles yelled loudly. Only when Nerissa reached his shoulder did she stop. She took Charles and tossed him to the center of the deck, fire still raging in her eyes.

The crew was suddenly looking scared again. They whispered amongst each other and exchanged nervous looks. Barbossa mostly looked angry. He grabbed the lid to Nerissa's cage and slammed it shut. She hissed at him from inside the cage.

Sensing everyone staring at him, Barbossa looked up and hissed, "What are ye lookin' at? Back to work!"

We all went back to our stations except for Charles' friends. They went to his body and rolled him over onto his back. He was very still and blood still flowed out of his throat. His eyes were wide and surprised as if he had been shocked. I felt no mercy for him. He had tried to kill Nerissa; an innocent mermaid. He had no right.

I sniffed at Charles' dead body and went over to the helm. I caught Theodore's eye. He was giving me a meaningful look. It was a look that told me that all this was certainly not going to end well.

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_Review? :)_


	17. Murdering, Denailing, & Trusting

_Hi guys, thanks again for all the wonderful reviews. :) Anyways, I'm going through kind of a lot in RL right now and I've been very distracted, so I'm really sorry if these chapters aren't all that great. I can't really answer everyone's reviews today, but please keep reading. Coming here and seeing that people actually take time to read my crap is the greatest comfort I get. Thanks again guys. This chapter is in Nerissa's POV._

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**Chapter XVI**

_Three times around spun our gallant ship,  
Three times around spun she.  
Yes, three times around spun our gallant ship,  
As she sank to the bottom of the sea._

As I ripped the flesh from the boy's throat, I felt no remorse or regret. It was the same boy from Port Royal who had tried to kill me. There had been no reason to kill me, and yet, he had been about to throw his blade through my heart. My temper smashed and I had grabbed his throat and killed him.

Already, the men were starting to look at me with new eyes. They seemed fearful and wary. Good. I would not be mistaken for a week, helpless creature. Mermaids were not to be messed around with. We belonged in the sea where we were free to swim all seven seas without any barriers or boundaries. Mermaids were not supposed to be kept in glass boxes.

Unfortunately, Barbossa did not realize that. He seemed to be determined to get that tear from me if it was the last thing he did. Regardless, he would be the one to give up. I would never give the tear to him.

Barbossa was already approaching me, his peg leg making that annoying clunking noise. I met his eyes steadily, daring him to get too close to me. Barbossa was smart. He slammed the lid to my tank down. One of my tail fins got caught under the rim. I shrieked, but Barbossa paid me no heed as he picked up the glass prison and started to take me back to the cabins.

With the lid shut, there was no air. I couldn't breathe. My shrieks soon turned into gasps for air as Barbossa took me all the way below deck and shoved me into the cabin. There was hardly any air left. I was seeing black circles and was feeling faint.

Just when I felt like I was going to pass out, Barbossa opened the tank, grabbed my neck, and then threw me on the ground. The black temporarily obscured my vision until I could see a few circles of light.

"What were ye thinking back there?" a voice said from a long distance away. "Don't ye know better than to kill an innocent sailor?"

Normally, I would've kept my mouth shut, but I was angry today. I said a-matter-of-factly, "He wasn't innocent."

"Oh?" Barbossa asked me with raised eyebrows. "Neither are ye and now yer goin' to pay fer this. There be one way out..."

He obviously wanted me to ask what the way out was, but I already knew it. He wanted the tear that he was never going to get. I continued sitting in the corner with a firm expression on my face. It suddenly occurred to me that I was naked, but there was nothing to cover my body with.

"If ye give a tear, yer goin to spare yourself this torture," Barbossa added.

"No," I said simply, trying to clear my vision. The black was starting to fade ever so slightly. I could see Barbossa's blurry figure in the distance.

"So be it," Barbossa said before he clunked over me. He grabbed both of my arms and tied my wrists together. Once they were bound, he tied the rope against the leg of the desk. Scared, I tried to look behind me, but that just sent my vision swirling before my eyes once again. Barbossa reached into his pocket and brought out something long and shiny.

I suddenly wished that I couldn't see. The sharp blade flashed in the light and the tip was aimed directly at my leg. Barbossa crouched on the floor across from me and grabbed my feet.

"What are you going to do to me?" I asked nervously.

Barbossa lifted the knife and said, "It be called denailing."

It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what that meant. I squirmed and tried to get away, but it did no good. Barbossa grabbed one of my feet and brought the knife to it. The blade dug into my flesh, blood spurting everywhere. I shrieked.

"Shut yer trap," Barbossa hissed. "I suppose I could gag ye..."

I couldn't control the noise coming from my mouth. The screams were involuntary. Barbossa continued to saw through my flesh until he had cut all around my toenail and picked it off. Where the toenail should be was a big clump of blood that started streaming all over.

Sighing with annoyance, Barbossa got up and grabbed a cloth. He jammed it into my mouth. I glared at him and started shredding the cloth with my teeth as he moved onto my next toenail. Agony ripped through my body as the point of the knife popped my flesh. I spat out the shredded cloth and started screaming again.

Barbossa sighed and said, "All I be needin' is one tear..."

"Never, you evil bastard!" I shrieked, struggling to get away. I didn't make it far at all. Actually, I made it nowhere.

Barbossa sighed again like this was torture for him before he went onto my next toenail. The pain and agony was building up to a point where it was unbearable. Everything swam before my eyes. I gasped for air, gave one last shriek, and then fell back into silence. Black started to obscure my vision and then I felt nothing more.

Smash! I certainly felt something now. I opened my eyes part way to find myself looking at the floorboards. Something cool and soothing was washing over me. Barbossa must have thrown me back into my prison. To be honest, I was actually grateful for that. My legs had fused to form a tail and the cool water soothed the pain.

Looking through the glass wall, I could see Barbossa picking up my toenails. He observed them with interest and shot me a sadistic smile when he caught me looking at him. I glared right back at him and shifted into a sleeping position, my back to Barbossa.

As I rolled onto my side to try and fall asleep, I suddenly thought of something. What if I pretended to sleep for a few days straight? If Barbossa thought me to be asleep, he might let me rest in fear of killing me. After all, he needed to keep me alive if he wanted that tear. To my ears, it sounded like a very good plan.

I followed through with my plan and surprisingly enough, it actually worked. Well, at least for the first few days. I laid on my side with my eyes closed. Even when Barbossa kicked the tank and said, "Get up, ye bloody creature!", I stayed silent and unmoving.

I was very glad to have Barbossa off my back, but I missed Gillette quite a bit. He didn't come and visit me even once during the last few days. I wondered why. Had I done something or said something wrong? I tried to think back to our last visit, but couldn't come up with anything I had done wrong.

Finally, on the third night, I heard the door crack open. Figuring that it had to be Barbossa, I kept silent and continued lying on my side. Surprisingly enough, there was not the usual clunking on the rotting floorboards. No, I heard the normal sound of two feet padding across the room.

Shocked, I blinked and peered through the wall of my prison to see who it was. When I saw a bright blue navy uniform, my heart gave a little skip. Despite the pain that constantly throbbed in my tail fins, I actually felt happy for once.

A creak sounded as the top of the tank was lifted. I poked my head out of the water and blinked up at Gillette with a smile slipping around my lips. Shaking my hair out of my face, I said, "You came. I didn't think you would. I thought you had abandoned me."

Gillette leaned down on the floor besides me and whispered, "I would never abandon you. Are you hurt?"

Besides for my ripped off my toenails? No,I wasn't hurt me. I decided not to tell Gillette how Barbossa had cut off all my toenails. After all, Gillette didn't even know I changed forms when I was out of the water.

"No, the captain has left me alone," I told him, hoping that it didn't look like I was lying. "I pretended to be asleep."

Gillette looked surprised that my excuse had worked. He gave me an apologetic look and explained, "Barbossa changed my shifts. I am no longer working the hours I used to. It has been about impossible to find a time to visit you."

Putting a hand over his, I replied, "There's no need for apologies."

Gillette flinched and looked a bit nervous when I touched his hand. It took me a few minutes to realize why. He was afraid of me after what I had done to Charles. That had to be it.

I didn't remove my hand from his, but I did look up into his eyes and ask, "Are you afraid of me now?"

Gillette hesitated and looked from my hand to my face. Finally, he said, "I didn't know what you could be like. Now I see what Theodore means when he says mermaids are deadly."

"Deadly? No," I shook my head, looking sad. "I only did it to protect myself and you. The boy was out of control and dangerous."

Gillette thought about this for a moment before he tilted his head at me and asked, "Why?"

Not understanding what he was referring to, I tilted my head at him and asked, "Why what?"

"Why did you follow me here? What do you want from me?" Gillette asked, also confused.

"I thought we had already been over this," I said. Gillette continued to look bewildered, so I went on to explain, "I'm here because I marked you. Even if you do not love me, I do love you. The more we speak, the more you visit me, the closer our bond becomes."

"Nerissa?" Gillette asked tentatively.

"Yes?" I asked with raised eyebrows.

Gillette made no answer and leaned down to press his lips to mine.

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_Review? :)_


	18. Bonding, Stealing, & Whipping

_Good morning everyone. I hope you're all doing better than me. Thanks for all the wonderful reviews from the last chapter. It's so nice to come to a site like this and not have to feel bad about myself. This chapter is in Nerissa's POV. Also, I'm just going to make a "warning" now. There's going to be more violent forms of abuse and perhaps some smut in the rest of this story. If you aren't comfortable with that sort of thing, you probably don't want to read this. Sorry for not replying to reviews again. I'm just throwing this update up and going back to bed. =/  
_

* * *

**Chapter XVII**

_The seaweed is always greener_  
_In somebody else's lake_  
_You dream about going up there_  
_But that is a big mistake_  
_Just look at the world around you_  
_Right here on the ocean floor_  
_Such wonderful things surround you_  
_What more is you lookin' for?_

A spark of surprise and shock went through my body as Gillette leaned forward and kissed me. Once again, it was like fire and ice coming together. Gillette's lips seemed to sizzle against my cold mouth. The sensation was strange and delightful at the same time. When we both needed air, we broke apart. Gillette looked at my face and searched it as if he were trying to read my emotions.

I couldn't help but want more. One of my hands snaked around his neck and brought him closer to me. We kissed more passionately this time, our lips melding and kneading together. Sparks continued to fly between us as cold and hot melted and combined. Without even having to think about it, my tongue slipped out of my mouth and traced the shape of Gillette's lips. Another hand snaked around Gillette's neck and closed at the nape of his neck.

I was quite shocked when Gillette parted his lips for me. I had tongue-kissed before, but never with a human. The sensations I got from kissing with a human were so much stronger and exhilarating than the kisses I had experienced with mermen.

Trying to calm down just a bit, I flicked out my tongue and slipped it into the heat of Gillette's mouth. My tongue seemed to melt as I explored my sailor's mouth. It was like throwing an ice cube into a pot of boiling water. Gillette let me explore for a few moments before his tongue tentatively met mine. Our tongues engaged in a dirty dance, twisting and writhing against each other.

When we needed air, we pulled apart once more. My face was a bit flushed and so was Gillette's. What I liked about us was that we were even when it came to love. Gillette didn't feel the need to dominate me and neither did I feel the need to dominate him.

"I love you, Nerissa," Gillette whispered, dark brown eyes looking up into my green ones.

"I've loved you for the last eight years," I told him, tears of happiness coming to my eyes. Mermaids only cry from joy, never sorrow. That was something that Barbossa had wrong. I would never cry from pain.

Gillette leaned towards me and pressed his lips at the base of my throat. I closed my eyes as the heat from his lips warmed my body and spread throughout my veins. He continued trailing his lips up the pale column of my throat before choosing a sensitive place. He kissed it and licked over it, making me shiver despite the heat. When he sucked down on my throat, a cry came from my lips.

Wanting to be as intimate with him as I possibly could, I tossed my coppery hair behind my back and rose out of the water a bit further. My lips went to claim Gillette's mouth once more as my hand found his. I brought his hand to my mouth and sprinkled soft kisses all over it before bringing his hand to my breast

This was the first time I had let Gillette see me half naked. I didn't feel any shame as Gillette cupped the firm lump in his hand and started rubbing it gently with his thumb. My breath hitched and I leaned up for a kiss when...

Clunk, clunk, clunk! Ugh, the sound of Barbossa's footsteps sounded outside the cabin door.

"Damn," Gillette hissed. He looked up at me and said, "I must go."

"I know," I replied with a nod. "But come back to me. I will be here waiting for you."

Gillette nodded and hesitated before he leaned down and kissed my breast before lowering the lid of the cage. I submerged under the water and pretended to be asleep as the door closed shut behind Gillette. A moment later, Barbossa's loud clunking sounded from the doorway. I heard the creaking of the bed as he said down on it.

"Hm, that be strange..." I could hear him saying.

I had no idea what was strange, but part of me told me that I didn't want to know what he was talking about. I continued to pretend to be asleep until there was a loud bang on the side of my prism. My head automatically jerked up, informing Barbossa that I was not sleeping and was actually awake.

"Mermaid lass, where be the key?" Barbossa asked me, looking upset.

I pursed my lips and told him nothing as I swam to the corner of the prison.

Barbossa's eyes narrowed angrily as he followed me and said, "Don't ye swim away from me. Where be the key? The key that was sittin' on the desk across the room? Where?"

I almost smirked at his question. That key had been gone for over a week and only now did he noticed its absence.

When I didn't respond, Barbossa grabbed a small knife from his jacket and held it at my throat. My breaths grew shorter and I started shaking as he pressed the blade against my neck. Abruptly, he noticed something on my neck. He grabbed my hair and threw it over my shoulder.

"Ye know who has the key, don't ye?" Barbossa hissed, looking at my neck more intently. "If ye don't kill me, I'll slit yer throat."

"No, you wouldn't," I replied logically. "You need me for the tear."

Barbossa's eyes narrowed as he realized that I was right. He pressed the blade against my throat a bit harder and hissed, "That don't mean I won't hurt ye. We both be knowin' who has the key. Tell me."

"No," I said firmly, folding my arms across my chest stubbornly. If Barbossa wanted the key, he would have to find it himself.

"Stupid lass," Barbossa muttered, moving his knife down my neck. He started tracing my breast with the tip of the knife, saying, "I already know who has the key. It be that Gillette lad."

My eyes narrowed at him and my heartbeat picked up a few notches. Wanting to put my sailor in the clear, I asked Barbossa, "Why would you think it would be Gillette?"

"He's infatuated with ye, isn't that obvious?" Barbossa asked. "I also be wonderin' where that mark on yer neck came from."

Gillette had been sucking on my neck. There was a good possibility that the mark had came from that. I didn't answer Barbossa's question and instead looked at the floor.

"Yer silence be all the answer I need," Barbossa smirked.

"I told you nothing," I said and then finally decided to give up. I looked at Barbossa with pleading eyes and begged, "You won't hurt him, will you?"

Barbossa hesitated and replied, "Nay, not yet. We wait fer the right moment."

He gave me an evil wink before slamming the lid to my cage shut once more. A blanket was thrown over my box, obscuring me in darkness. Frowning, I floated on my side and tried to think of a way out of this. No matter how hard I thought, I could not figure out how to get myself or Gillette out of this mess. It seemed to be hopeless. Finally, I fell asleep and dreamed of Barbossa cutting off my fingernails.

Smash! A boot kicked my glass prism the next morning. What a rude awakening! I blinked and twisted onto my belly. The top of my cage lifted and I was able to poke my head out.

"Get up!" Barbossa was ordering. "Yer not dead yet."

I gave him a dirty look and waited to see what he would do next. For some reason, a bad feeling was already filling my gut.

"What do ye think about just givin' me a tear?" Barbossa asked.

I gave him an annoyed expression and wondered just how many more times it would take him to learn that I would not be giving him a tear anytime soon.

Taking my silence as a no, Barbossa grabbed my waist and heaved me out of the tank. I tried to bite him, but I was in an awkward position and was already lying on the floor. Gasping as my tail adjusted, I watched Barbossa pick something up. It was a long rope-like thing. Oh god, it was a whip.

I cringed, already knowing what would happen before it actually did happen. Barbossa raised the whip and brought it down hard on my back. My tender flesh split easily and blood gushed out.

"Ye know I wouldn't be doin' this if ye only gave me a tear," Barbossa said from what seemed like a distance away.

The pain was enough for me to want to retort. Turning my head around to look at him, I replied, "What would you do with me if I did give you a tear? You wouldn't let me go, would you?"

Barbossa gave no answer and instead brought the whip down on me again. He whipped me until blood spilled from my back and pooled around my body. My breaths came in little gasps and my vision had long since left me. I couldn't open my eyes, couldn't feel anything but horrible pain, and could barely breathe. Barbossa didn't care.

"Unless ye want more pain, ye should really think about givin' one tear. That all I be askin' for," Barbossa said as he picked up my bloody figure and tossed me into the prison once more. He left after that, but I wasn't even aware of it.

My clean, fresh water was turning red and bloody. I couldn't stand it in there. Glad that Barbossa had left the lid open, I poked my head out of it and sat on the edge of the prism. Unfortunately, exposing my back to the air made my back prickle and ache even more. Sighing, I retreated back into the water.

My mind wandered as I tried to distracted myself from the bloody water. What was Barbossa going to do to me next? There wasn't more he could do to me without killing me. He had already mutilated me quite a bit. What was left for him to do to me? Pull out my hair? Cut off my tail?

Not liking to think about these kinds of thoughts, I instead thought about my sailor. I was starting to worry about him now. Barbossa knew that he had been visiting me. There was no denying that now. Barbossa had also said that he would not hurt my sailor, but I couldn't trust Barbossa. He had promised to make me human and look at what had happened.

I tried to come up with a solution for this imminent problem, but already my eyelids were fluttering shut and the pain in my back continued to stab through my body. I shut my eyes and tumbled head over heels into a black oblivion.

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_Review? :)_


	19. Boredom, Excuses, & Intimacy

_Good morning everyone! Sorry for not updating yesterday. I hope I haven't lost all my readers. lol Anyways, here's the next chapter! It's in Gillette's POV.  
_

**_12DEHD: _**_Aw, thanks! It's good to know that you won't be running from this one. Haha, I update this one more because I have the whole thing finished. I'm still working on the Doors fic. _

_**Knight Mistress:** They'll have more moments together in this chapter! Yes, I suppose she wouldn't have any legs. :( Thanks for reading!_

_**Whiteling: **Yup, not a good sign. :( Thanks for your review! :3_

_**Moviac:** You're right; it is certainly not a good thing that he knows about Gillette/Nerissa. Well, this is a tragedy, so the ending might not exactly be happy. *hints* And you're right; the torture is quite horrible. :(_

_**Flik: **That's okay, but thanks for reading! I love your reviews. *hugs* Haha, let's throw him over together, shall we? :)_

_**Bookworm181: **Yay, a new reader! Thanks so much for taking the time to read this! I'm glad that the characters seem original, I was having a bit of a hard time with that. I hope you keep reading! :D  
_

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**Chapter XVIII**

_What would I give_  
_To live where you are?_  
_What would I pay_  
_To stay here beside you?_  
_What would I do to see you_  
_Smiling at me?_

It was a normal sunny day. The waves carried the Providence along at a steady pace. Despite all this, it seemed like we were making no progress. I was really starting to doubt that there even was a Fountain of Youth. The rest of the men must've been thinking the same thing. There was a lot of gossiping and nasty looks going around. We all thought Barbossa was crazy, but nobody dared to tell him that to his face.

I hated Barbossa more than most of the men. I knew he was hurting Nerissa. She denied it, but I knew better. There was a look on her face that told me she was in pain. I couldn't stand that look. It made my heart snap in half.

Bored of being at the same station all day long, I cleared my throat and shot Theodore a pointed look. Theodore glanced up from where he was standing and shot a wary glance over at the captain. Barbossa was leaning on his cane and was standing on the other side of the ship. Theodore decided to risk talking to me and inconspicuously took a few steps in my direction.

"Hello Gillette," he greeted me in a quiet voice. "How are you?"

"I'm alright," I replied, "but I don't think Nerissa is."

There was a long silence from Theodore. Ever since he had seen Nerissa attack Charles, he had seemed a bit wary of her. Biting his lip, he said, "I'm certain Nerissa can take care of herself."

"No, I don't think she can," I pressed. "Barbossa is killing her. I can feel it."

"You can feel it?" Theodore repeated with a frown. "Perhaps this is just a bit extreme?"

I rethought my last sentence and supposed Theodore might be right. It was a bit extreme to say that I could feel that he was hurting her, but the truth was that I actually could feel it. The pain came from somewhere deep inside my core. I knew when Nerissa was crying out to me and when she was in pain. She had been doing both, but now there was just an empty space. She must be sleeping.

"I'm worried about her," I told Theodore, deciding not to go into details about how I could feel her emotions. "What if she dies?"

Sighing, Theodore looked at me and said, "Would you like me to tell you what I really think about this?"

"Yes, of course," I said, having a feeling that I wasn't going to like what Theodore had to say.

Taking a deep breath, Theodore said, "I know you love this mermaid. Don't say you don't because I know you do. The problem is that she's not a woman. She's a mermaid; a wild, vicious mermaid. Although I don't approve of Barbossa torturing her, I think you're better off if you can find a normal woman to fall in love with."

My lips pursed and I had to fight to keep from saying something I would regret. People didn't understand what I had with Nerissa. She may be a mermaid, but she was certainly female and acted like a female. I didn't want another woman; I wanted her.

"Gillette?" Theodore asked, raising his eyebrows at me as he waited for some sort of answer.

"Hm," I said, not giving him an answer to anything he had said.

Just then, Barbossa came clunking up to us. He jabbed Theodore with his cane and said, "Is this yer station, Mr. Groves?"

Theodore looked guilty and shook his head, looking at the ground.

"Then get back to yer station," Barbossa ordered, jabbing Theodore with his cane once more.

"Yes, Sir," Theodore said quietly, walking back to his post.

I glared at Barbossa and waited to see if he would talk to me. Surprisingly enough, he didn't talk to me, but he did look at me. His vicious blue eyes stared right into mine and his lips curved into a sadistic smile. He was up to something. I just knew it. This something was going to have to do with Nerissa.

I tried to hold out until night to visit Nerissa, but I just couldn't. I had to see her sooner. Coming up with the worst excuse there was, I strode over to Barbossa and said, "I am going to go below decks to use the chamberpot, Sir."

Barbossa gave me a doubtful look and said, "Be fast, lad."

I nodded and ran down the stairs. My feet brought me straight to Barbossa's cabin. I hoped that Nerissa would be awake and happy to see me. A little blush crept across my cheeks as I thought about how far we had gotten last time.

I tapped the door to the cabin and let it fall open. Slipping inside, I shut the door behind me and went over to the glass prism. To my surprise, the lid was already open and Nerissa's head was poking out of the water. What astonished me most was that the water was red from blood.

Rushing over to the side of the tank, I knelt before her and gasped, "Oh lord, what has he done to you now?"

Nerissa gave me a wry smile that told me she was in a lot of pain. She pushed herself up onto the ledge of the tank and pulled her hair over her shoulder so I could see her naked back. It was slashed in all different directions and blood still dribbled from some of the cuts. Barbossa had whipped her, there was no doubt about that.

"Nerissa..." I whispered her name, kissing the back of her neck where she wasn't cut. "We have to get you out of here."

"Mm...but how?" Nerissa asked, looking a bit hopeless. "I don't think I will get out of here, not alive anyways."

"No," I said stubbornly. "We will try and get you out of here. I promise. I love you, Nerissa."

Her eyes filled with tears of joy and her hands went up to cup my face. She searched my face and said, "You really mean it, don't you?"

I nodded, not quite sure how she could think I was lying anymore. After all, she had been the one to bind us together when she marked me eight years ago.

Nerissa's dark green eyes sparkled in the dimly lit cabin as she claimed my lips with hers. I kissed her back passionately. My hands twisted in her silky hair as she slipped her tongue into my mouth. I let her take control of the situation as her tongue flicked over mine before rubbing against it. Unable to help myself, I rubbed my tongue back against hers and ran a hand over her shoulder and down her arm.

When we gasped for air, Nerissa placed my hand over her breast and shook her hair behind her shoulders. Her green eyes were lusty and passionate. I'm sure mine were a mirror image of hers.

Thinking that I had her permission, I wrapped an arm around her waist and started kissing around the shape of her breasts. Nerissa made a pleased noise from the back of her throat, obviously wanting more. I started licking where I had been kissing moments earlier before I reached up with my free hand and started fondling her breast.

At this, Nerissa's breath hitched and her tail flicked around in the water. When I met her eyes, she nodded. I started kissing her breast and licking over her nipple. It grew hard and perky as the wetness from my tongue dribbled around it. I cupped her opposite breast in my other hand and kneaded the heavy lump.

Nerissa was so beautiful. Her skin was a milky color, her eyes the deepest shade of green, her hair like spun silk, and her torso creamy and delicious.

"Gillette, please..." Nerissa begged. She knocked my hat and wig off playfully before digging her hands into my hair.

I gave into her and started suckling the aching nub that I had been licking moments earlier. Nerissa gulped and tightened her grip on my hair. After a few moments, I nursed her other breast before going back up to her lips and pressing an intimate kiss there.

Nerissa caught her breath and stated, "I wish I were human. We could do so much more then."

My heart starting racing and blood went trickling to strange places of my body as she said that. Raising a curious eyebrow at her, I asked, "Like what do you have in mind?"

An innocent little smile crossed Nerissa's face. She motioned to me with her finger and said, "Come here and I'll show you."

Not about to resist, I took a step forwards. Nerissa looked up and down my body with calculating eyes. She reached up and shrugged my jacket off before going to my waistcoat. Her fingers undid the buttons nimbly and quickly. My breath was getting caught in my chest and I forgot all about how I should've been on deck a long time ago.

Nerissa pushed my waistcoat apart and pressed her head against my bare chest. Her cool lips began trailing open-mouthed kisses down my torso. I gulped and put a hand on the wall to keep myself steady as her lips went lower still.

When her hands reached my breeches, Nerissa looked up at me, innocent as an angel, and asked, "May I?"

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_Review? :)_


	20. Fire, Ice, & Exposed

_Good morning all, how are you? Omg, it's so hot here, I think I'm going to get heatstroke or something. I just noticed that I always seem to be talking about the weather. And now I just noticed that I have mascara in my hair. I feel so random this morning. *sighs* Anyways, thank you SO much for all the wonderful reviews! I kinda thought I was losing readers and all. Anyways, here's Nerissa's POV..._

_**12DEHD: **Hehe, glad you liked the chapter! I love how you're continuing to read all my stories. I usually lose them after they read one story or something. :P_

_**PixarPixie: **Yay, a new reader! *throws a party* Hehe, I'm a big Gillette fangirl. I think 6/8 of my fics have him as a main character. lol I love your name, btw. :) And I'm glad you like Nerissa! I tried to make her into a likable character. I hope you keep reading! :3_

_**Avatar Stark: **Thanks! I love smut/romance scenes. I think I live for them. :P Nerissa might have a few tricks up her sleeve...or tail. :P_

_**Moviac: **Yes, they are...and it's only going to get worse. =P I do think you're right though. Actually, I think my story will prove that fact once you get to the end. Too bad neither of them realized that! I'm glad you liked the chapter! ;D_

_**Romeondjuliet4-ever: **That's totally okay! Thanks for reading again though. *hugs* I know exactly what it's like to be busy. lol _

_**AsininityJackal: **Woo, you came back! Haha, I thought you might have abandoned me. :P Thanks for your review! Maybe I should update a tad bit slower. :P You can tell I write all day since I dunno what else to do. lol_

_**Lady Sybelle: **OMG, today is my lucky day as I see I have another new reader! *throws another party and offers party favor* Don't worry, there are LOTS more romantic moments to come. *smiles evilly* Ahem. :P So you're a Norrie fangirl? I love him too! But Gillette is my absolute favorite. Haha about the beta users! Do you have one to help you? I don't really like beta readers because I can't take criticism well at all. *rolls eyes* I'm too sensitive. And thanks! :) The hotter, the better in my opinion. XD You definitely have to see OST! I hate the ending, but the rest is alright. And lol, I like the song. :P I hope you keep reading and thanks for your review! :D_

_**SgtPeppersLonelyHearts: **Hey! *waves* That's totally okay. I know EXACTLY what it's like not to feel well, especially for days at a time. It's horrible. I hope you feel better soon! *hugs* Thanks for saying you liked the chapter. :) And don't worry about it! I just wanted to make sure you were alright. *more hugs*_

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**Chapter XIX**

_Yes, you want her_  
_Look at her, you know you do_  
_Possible she wants you too_  
_There is one way to ask her_  
_It don't take a word_  
_Not a single word_  
_Go on and kiss the girl_

I looked up at Gillette and waited for his answer. Just because I was a mermaid did certainly not mean I was ignorant. I knew how humans made love and did other romantic debaucheries together. Despite this, Gillette looked nervous. I figured he would say no.

"I...I don't know..." Gillette hesitated, looking at me while licking his lower lip.

My eyes followed the motion of his tongue and I reassured him, "I would never hurt you. You're my sailor. I marked you."

To me, everything was very simple. Gillette and I had been destined to be together. That was why I had marked him and that was why we were here together right now. He was closer to me than Zale ever would ever be.

"Alright," Gillette finally gave in despite the fact that he was still eying me nervously.

Smiling to myself, I started popping the buttons on his breeches. Snap, snap, snap. The only other sound in the room was Gillette's nervous breathing. I wished he would relax, but figured he had a right to be nervous. After all, I was a mermaid and most mermaids were dangerous.

Once I undid the buttons, I pushed his breeches down and got a look at his intimate parts. Gillette was now biting his lip and looking like he wanted to disappear. He didn't trust me yet, but he would soon learn to. I was sure of that.

I ran a finger down his sexual organ and looked up at Gillette, asking, "Are you alright?"

He nodded, a faint blush on his cheeks. Figuring it was a good sign that he hadn't stopped me, I reached out with my other hand and cupped his warmth with it. The difference of our temperatures was quite amazing. I was so cold and he was so hot. His soft flesh seemed to scald in my grip. Very gently, I started stroking him with my long index finger.

Gillette stiffened slightly, but didn't protest. I started rubbing him and kneading him between my palms. Nervous that I would scratch him with my long fingernails, I changed tactics and leaned forward with my head. I continued to cup him in my left hand as I gave his tip a soft kiss.

Gillette made a stifled sound when I did that. Seeing if I could have that same effect, I started planting kisses all over him. Gillette grabbed the edge of my tank to keep himself steady. Pleased by the effect I was having on him, I started licking a trail of kisses from root to tip. Gillette's chest rose and fell quickly.

When a little clear liquid appeared at his tip, I lapped it up the way a kitten laps up milk. After that, it only seemed natural to take him into the heat of my mouth. I fastened my lips around him and started sucking up and down, easing him to the back of my throat. Gillette made a whimpering sound and twisted a hand in my hair as I worked. I sucked slower in some places and went faster in others to keep it interesting. It was definitely torture for poor Gillette who was forced to put up with my assault.

After a bit, I felt him stiffen and so I released my grip on him. I stroked him gently in my hands once more as he made a little whimpering sound. Whitish cream appeared on my palm as Gillette surrendered himself to me. I looked at the cream curiously and then back up at Gillette. He was breathing hard, obviously trying to recover from what I had just done to him.

Still curious about the cream, I leaned down and licked a bit of it out of my palm. It wasn't sweet or sour, but somewhere in between. Regardless, I liked it since it was part of my lover. I finished lapping up all the cream.

A little worried that I had done something wrong, I looked up at Gillette and asked, "Are you alright?"

Gillette nodded and wrapped his arms around me. Grateful for the embrace, I snuggled up to him and wrapped my arms around him as well. I rested my head against his chest while he rested his chin on the top of my head. We held each other for a little bit. It was nice to be held and loved. I hadn't felt any of that for a long time. Actually, I had never felt that way before.

Abruptly, Gillette said, "Bloody hell, I told Barbossa I needed to use the chamberpot and I've been gone for only god knows how long."

I gave him a sad look, but obviously could understand that he'd need to leave. Gillette tilted my chin up for a quick kiss before he went to the door. He hesitated there and said, "I wish I could do something about the water."

Looking down, I remembered that I was still swimming around in water stained red from my own blood. Surprisingly enough, I had completely forgotten about the pain when I was with Gillette. Only now did it come back at full force.

Giving him a half smile, I shrugged and said, "It's alright. You took the pain away for a bit. Now go. I don't want the captain to be angry with you."

Gillette nodded and quickly slipped out the door, arranging his clothes, his wig, and his hat. I watched him go with hypnotized eyes. He and I were meant to be together. Someday, I would be human. I made that my life's goal. I would be human before I died.

With that thought in mind, I settled back in my tank and realized that I would have to escape from here before I thought about doing anything like becoming a human. First things were first.

Sighing, I found myself in pain once more. Not wanting to sit around and put up with it, I rolled onto my side and closed my eyes. The darkness embraced me eagerly and took away my pain for at least a little while.

"Get up ye bloody creature!" was the sentence I awoke to the next morning. I was surprised I had slept for so long. Perhaps that was not such a bad thing though. It certainly made enduring the pain much easier.

Not wanting to get up and face more torture, I stayed floating on my side and pretended to be asleep. Sometimes it worked with Barbossa and sometimes it didn't. You just never knew.

I actually thought my ruse had worked when I felt a hand on my breast. I immediately lashed out, showing that I was indeed awake. Annoyed, I glared up at Barbossa and crossed my arms across my chest. Barbossa smirked.

"I do remember tellin' ye that all ye needed to give was one tear," Barbossa said. "Ye have refused me one time to many. Now I'll be takin' ye to the crew."

Unsure what that meant, I blinked up at him in confusion and swam as far away from him as possible before asking, "What do you mean by 'take me to the crew'?"

"I need ideas of ways to get ye to give a tear. I be out of the ideas. Perhaps someone from the crew will know of something," Barbossa explained, starting to lower the lid of my cage.

Anger broiled through my insides as I heard what he was going to do. Glaring at him, I said, "So you're going to try to come up with more ways to torture me then?"

Barbossa made no answer and slammed my prison shut. I stared out of the glass walls as he started marching out of the cabin. He clunked up the stairs and to the upper deck where all the crew members were working.

The sunlight was much too bright for my eyes. I shut them tightly and felt heat from the sun from the transparent glass surrounded me. My water would heat up in only a few hours at this rate. If my water got too hot, I would get a temperature and die.

There was another loud clunk as Barbossa set my glass prism on the center of the deck. Figuring that it would be helpful to know what was going on at this point, I opened my eyes and peered out of the tank. All the men had stopped doing their duties and had turned to stare at me with curious eyes. I glared at them and crossed my arms over my chest defiantly.

"Here be the mermaid ye saw a week or so ago," Barbossa announced to the crew as he motioned to my cage. "To perform the ritual required at the Fountain of Youth, we'll need a mermaid's tear. Little Nerissa has denied our request. Do any of ye have any ideas of how to get her to give us a single tear?"

"Shoot her!" a voice called out.

"Cut up her fins!" another voice yelled.

"You could roast her alive and then eat her!" the first voice called again.

My eyes narrowed into slits and I hissed at the men jeering at me. Where was Gillette? I searched the deck and found him standing at the helm with his other officer friend. Gillette was clenching his fists and obviously wanted to say something.

"I be needin' her alive if I be wantin' that tear," Barbossa chuckled at the man who had suggested roasting me.

Suddenly, another man stepped forwards and said, "I have the perfect solution, Sir. We take her out of water and let her roast in the sun until she gives us the tear."

Without waiting for the Barbossa's approval, the man went over to my cage. I locked eyes with him and gave him an evil look, but it was too late. He was going to do exactly what he had told Barbossa to do.

A moment later, the man had tilted my cage and had dumped me and all the water in my cage out onto the deck. Damn. A tingling sensation was already running through my body as the water left my body. The last thing I wanted to do was change forms in front of all these men, but I had no choice. It was like trying not to breathe.

The scales on my tail dissolved. My tail split and formed two legs. I crouched and tried to cover my naked body as well as I could. All the men stared at me with wide eyes. I wanted to slit their throats or drown them one by one, but I was very weak in my human form. All I could do was huddle there on the floorboards while Barbossa decided what to do with me.

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_Review? :)_


	21. Shame, Embarrassment, & Freedom

_Hello everyone! I'm updating on time today. lol How's everyone doing? It's really hot here today. Ugh. Anyways, this is in Gillette's POV..._

**_SgtPeppersLonelyHearts: _**_Yay, thanks so much for your review! I'm hoping you're still feeling better. :) Thanks for the hugs! *hugs back* I'm glad you like smutty scenes! So do I. :P Lol, I read my first smut scene ever a day ago and only now do I realize just how horrible it was. Hopefully I'm getting better. lol Omg, I love the Little Mermaid, don't you? It's my favorite animated film. Omg, I can't take cricism at all. Like one bad comment is enough to make me delete a fic, you know?_

**_Sithlord8665: _**_You're back! *hugs* Hehe, you're right. This is a bad situation!_

_**Flik: **I do know why so thanks for taking the time to review! :D Omg, great idea about hitting him on the head with a pan! Can I join you? hehe How's the internet doing today, btw?_

_**AsininityJackal: **Aw, well, thank you! :) Losing readers always makes me sad. *sadface* lol Thanks for reading! :3_

_**Moviac: **It is a bad situation. About the ending...well, Gillette and Nerissa don't have a happy ending at all. Syrena and Philip might though...I do a lot more with them at the end of this fic. And lol, you'll see about Nerissa trying to kill Gillette...just keep reading. :)_

_**12DEHD: **Thank you! I don't have many readers like that...I think you're my only one. lol And a fluffy mermaid...hehe! Thanks for reading!_

_**Lady Sybelle: **I'm glad you liked it! I love smut...all my one-shots are smutty. :D Will Gillette save her? Hm...probably...=P Omg, I hope Barbossa dies again too! He is evil! LOL, well, Gillette will return the favor soon. *smirks* Before then, there's going to be a lot more suffering though. :( And no problem! Thanks for taking the time to review! :)_

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**Chapter XX**

_It's sad_  
_But true_  
_If you want to cross a bridge, my sweet_  
_You've got to pay the toll_  
_Take a gulp and take a breath_  
_And go ahead and sign the scroll!_  
_Flotsam, Jetsam, now I've got her, boys_  
_The boss is on a roll_  
_This poor unfortunate soul_

I knew that something bad was going to happen. The warning had pulsed through my veins and had lodge itself in my head. Regardless, there wasn't exactly anything I could do about a bad feeling. All I could do was sit around and wait to figure out what bad thing was going to happen. When Barbossa brought Nerissa's glass prism up to the deck, I knew something bad was going to happen to her. Barbossa wanted her tear and would do anything to get it.

When he asked the men what to do to her to force her to give a tear, I clenched my fists until my knuckles turned white and licked my lips nervously. The men were stupid. They suggested things like roasting her or shooting her. My eyes narrowed.

Somehow, I managed to keep my mouth shut until a man had suggested that they roast Nerissa on the hot deck and let her lay there in the hot sun until she gave a tear. Knowing Nerissa, she would never give a tear and would end up roasting on the deck. The stupid man didn't wait for Barbossa's approval of his plan. Instead, he went over to Nerissa's cage and tilted it on its side after opening the lid.

All the water along with Nerissa spilled out onto the deck. Nerissa coughed and started writhing around on the deck. Her tail thrashed around and her body jittered. Something was wrong. It was as if she was having a seizure. I wanted to go to her, but I didn't know what to do for her.

Abruptly, Nerissa began to change. Her scales dissolved, leaving smooth pale skin in its place. The fins at the end of her tail disappeared and two slender legs took the place of her tail. I stared at her with wide eyes; I had no idea that she transformed into a human when she was on land. Why had she not told me this?

All the men on the deck were silent as they looked down at Nerissa's naked figure. She was doing her best to cover herself, but she could only do so much. She kept her eyes on the ground in shame and started shaking from either fear or the cold.

Nobody moved or said a single thing. All eyes were on Nerissa. I tried to make myself jerk out of my paralysis. I had to go to her and help her. I forced myself to step forwards and kneel next to her on the ground. After yanking my jacket off, I tugged it over her body. Nerissa didn't look at me. Her eyes stayed on the floor.

Laughter started breaking out amongst the crew. Someone pointed at Nerissa and jeered, "She's only half fish!"

"Aye," Barbossa said with a nod, "In this form, she be weak and harmless."

I had stood back up after covering Nerissa's body. I didn't want to be known as the "mermaid lover". If the men knew we were together, there would be hell for both of us. Then again, Nerissa already seemed to be living in hell.

One of the men was looking at Nerissa with a star-struck expression on his face. He grinned and said, "I wouldn't mind havin' a go at her if you don't mind, captain."

My hand automatically reached for my sword. I was not going to let anyone touch Nerissa in that way. Before I could whip my sword out, Theodore put a hand over my wrist to stop me. He gave me a meaningful look that told me to wait to do anything and see how things played out first. I removed my hand from my sword, but was ready to whip it out at any moment.

Before the Barbossa could reply to the first man's request, another suggestion rang out, "We could hang her up in a net, Captain. Fishermen hang their finest catches up for passing ships to see. We could hang up the fish girl here."

Barbossa looked thoughtful and slowly nodded, "Aye, we could do that." He turned to the man standing next to him and ordered, "Gibbs, fetch some nets."

Gibbs disappeared. We all waited while Nerissa continued to shake and look around her in terror. Being stuck in a fishing net was bad, but it wasn't as bad as the men taking turns with her. I shot Theodore a look to see what he was thinking. He was biting his lip and didn't look too happy about the situation. When he saw me looking at him, he gave a little shrug.

A few moments later, Gibbs appeared with a large fishing net. I didn't like Gibbs very much. If he hadn't burned that bloody map, he would've been dead ages ago. Unfortunately, he had burned the map and now we were stuck with him.

Gibbs opened the fishing net and looked over at Barbossa. Barbossa clunked over to Nerissa and forced her to her feet. Her legs trembled beneath her and she looked like she was going to fall over. Instead of putting her in the net, Barbossa's hands went to the jacket that covered her. My hand spontaneously went to my sword once more.

Theodore kicked me in the shin and spoke for me, saying, "Do you really think that is appropriate, Sir?"

"She be nothin' more than a creature. Clothes are fer humans, not animals," Barbossa laughed as he yanked the jacket away.

Nerissa shivered and kept her eyes on the ground as the men peered at her in interest. They could see everything now; nothing was hidden from them. Jeers and whistles reverberated around the deck. I bit my lip so hard that it bled.

Instead of putting her into the net, Barbossa leaned down to her ear and said, "All this pain and torture can end. All ye need do is give one tear. Wouldn't ye rather do that than have all these men stare at ye all day?"

Nerissa gave Barbossa no response. He tossed her into the fishing net and ordered the net to be hung from the rigging. It was horrible. There was no other words to describe what Barbossa was doing. The net was hung high enough that the men couldn't touch Nerissa, but they could certainly see her. She chose to lay on her side with her arms and legs tucked up against her.

That day was perhaps the longest day of my life. It was pure agony for me to have to look up and see Nerissa trapped in a fishing net hanging from the rigging. The men were having too much fun with her. They yelled dirty remarks at her every few minutes and gave her horrid insults that even I wouldn't have been able to come up with.

Very annoyed, I stomped over to Theodore and stated the obvious, "This isn't right."

"No, it's not," Theodore agreed, not bothering to look up at Nerissa's fishing net. "As king's men, there's nothing we can do about it. All I can say is that I am grateful Barbossa didn't let that other man have his way with her."

The thought of someone else's dirty hands on Nerissa made me narrow my eyes murderously. I turned to Theodore and replied, "Believe me, they would be long dead before any of that could happen."

"Don't do anything rash, Gillette," Theodore warned me. "Barbossa could have your head as well as-"

Theodore was cut off as a loud clunk sounded next to us. We both looked up to see Barbossa smirking down at us with a satisfied smile on his face. How I wished to wipe the smile away.

"I would have who's head, Mr. Groves?" Barbossa asked with raised eyebrows.

Groves exchanged a nervous glance with me and said, "No one's, Sir."

"That be so?" Barbossa asked with raised eyebrows, "It seems to be that ye were sayin' that I'd have someone's head only a minute ago. Is that not so, Mr. Groves?"

"No, Sir," Groves lied. "Perhaps you were just hearing the wind?"

"Aye, the wind," Barbossa said with a dubious nod that told us that he didn't really believe Theodore. "I don't think this be yer station, Mr. Gillette. Everyone back to work!"

Sighing, I went back to my station. From my core, I felt strange emotions that I wasn't really feeling. I felt shame and guilt that were not my feelings. I puzzled over that for a bit to try and keep my thoughts off of Nerissa.

The rest of the day passed by very slowly. The sky eventually turned dark and stars started to appear. Even though my shift was over, I continued pacing around the deck. As soon as the men were gone, I would speak to Nerissa. Unfortunately, Barbossa had it in mind to ruin my plans as usual. He was still clunking around the deck.

"Mr. Gillette, ye are dismissed fer the night," he called over to me.

I narrowed my eyes and pursed my lips at him. His words were not a request but an order instead. Having no choice about the situation, I went down the stairs to my cabin and stepped inside of it. Once inside, I peered out of the window and tried to think of something I could do in order to speak to Nerissa.

Only a few moments later, clunks sounded outside my cabin. The creaking of a door sounded and I could hear Barbossa entering his own cabin. Good! That meant I could go up and speak to Nerissa. Well, actually that depended on who was keeping watch on the deck. Deciding to risk it, I slipped back out of my cabin as quietly as possible and went to the upper deck.

Looking around, I couldn't see anyone keeping watch. That was odd. There was always someone keeping watch. Unsure of what exactly was going on, I walked carefully around the deck, hiding behind objects as I went to keep myself hidden in case someone was indeed keeping watch.

As I snuck around the helm, I crashed into something hard and just about had a heart attack. I landed on my back and looked up to see Theodore giving me a shocked look.

"Good god, Gillette!" he whispered, "Let me guess, I already know what you're up to. You're going to save your mermaid. If you're going to do it, do it fast. I don't want the captain to come up here and see what we've done."

I nodded and said, "I'll do it fast. Let me know if someone is coming, alright?"

Theodore nodded and continued pacing back and forth along the deck. Suddenly, I realized that I needed a knife if I was going to cut Nerissa free of the rope. I ran back to Theodore and asked, "You don't happen to have a knife, do you?"

"A knife?" Theodore asked. He pulled a small knife out of his jacket pocket and said, "I have this old thing if you'd like it."

"I'll take it," I replied, taking the knife from him. I went back to Nerissa's net and looked up at her. She was sleeping now, but her breaths came quickly and uneven. Sighing with annoyance, I started sawing through the ropes of the net with Theodore's little knife. I wished I had a larger one, but didn't know where to get one from.

It took me five long minutes before I had cut a hole in the net. Abruptly, Nerissa woke up. Her eyes were glazed and sleepy. She hissed at me, but wasn't able to do more than that in her weakened form.

"No, it's me," I whispered at her, trying to get her to calm down. "I'm helping you. Don't hiss at me."

Nerissa blinked away the sleepiness and stopped hissing. She fell through the net and into my arms just as Theodore purposely pretended to run into the side of the ship and said, "Ouch!"

I knew that was my signal that someone was coming. Damn.

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_Review? :) Also, I started another Gillette/OC fic about Gillette and his childhood girlfriend...maybe some of you want to read it? I'm doing shorter chapters on it, so it won't take as long to read. Anyways, it's called Accidentally Yours if anyone wants to read it. Please? Okay, no more advertising...=P  
_


	22. Saving, Revealing, & Accepting

_Hi all! How's everyone doing today? I hear it's suppose to be not so hot today...*sighs with relief* This chapter is in Gillette's POV again._

**_SgtPeppersLonelyHearts: _**_Yes, Barbossa is evil! Poor Nerissa...:( Yes, I used Little Mermaid again! Teehee, that's my favorite Disney film besides from the obvious Potc. =P What one is your favorite? Omg, I totally get how that is. I got a negative review for something earlier and I think I'm going to delete it now. _

_**Sithlord8665: **Yay for you coming back! :D Glad you liked the chapter! Someone is definitely approaching. lol_

_**Romeondjuliet4-ever: **That's totally okay. I've been really sick lately and I don't think I'd find time to R&R anything either. How's school coming?_

_**Lady Sybelle: **Nope, I'm from Michigan, actually. :P I almost died of heat yesterday, but it's only 63 at the moment. *sighs with relief* Hehe, yes, let's cross our fingers! Something tells me they'll be okay his time...*hints*_

_**AsininityJackal: **Yep. :P Is it working? lol And you're right...it just keeps getting worse for her. :(_

_**Flik: ***joins you with running after Barbossa with a pan* hehe Yes, let's hope they don't get caught! Oh no! I am mad about the internet. Those router guys are seriously lucky that they don't live by me...=P Is Jack making you feel better? :)_

_**Moviac: **I'm not great at cliffies, so I thought that one once in a while might be nice! I totally know how you feel about Groves. He seems like a very good friend/companion. Why are there now Grovesys by me? lol Yep, we'll be back to Syrena's POV in chapter...uh...let me go count...34 or 35. Yes, I know what you're thinking, this fic is too long. :P I hope you keep reading! :D_

* * *

**Chapter XXI**

_There you see her_  
_Sitting there across the way_  
_She don't got a lot to say_  
_But there's something about her_  
_And you don't know why_  
_But you're dying to try_  
_You wanna kiss the girl_

Not sure what to do, I clutched Nerissa to my chest and whispered in her ear, "We have to be quiet and not let anyone see us. Don't move."

Nerissa blinked up at me without making a sound. I crept across the deck as quietly as I could and hid behind a barrel that stood next to the stairs leading to the upper deck. Footsteps sounded from very close by. Luckily, they were actual footsteps and not clunks. Whoever was coming was just a sailor and not the captain. Thank god for that.

A few seconds later, a sailor appeared on deck and started striding towards Theodore, saying, "I must've left my hat on deck. Have you seen it? I've looked all over for it below decks."

"As a matter of fact, I have seen it," Theodore replied, shooting me a look as he held out the hat to the sailor.

Knowing that this was my opportunity to escape, I shot one last nervous glance at Theodore and the sailor before sneaking around the barrel and hurrying down the stairs. Luckily, nobody saw us. Unluckily, the sailor was already starting down the stairs behind me. I had to hurry, but hurrying was almost impossible without making loud creaking noises on the stairs.

I picked up my pace just a bit and jumped down the last four stairs. There was a little thump as I landed on the ground, but I hoped the man hadn't heard it. Since my cabin was at the end of the hall, I took off at a run and ran as fast as I could to get to it. I managed to whip inside the cabin and lock the door to it just as the man turned the corner. We were safe.

I leaned against the wall with Nerissa in my arms and tried to catch my breath. Nerissa looked up at me like a frightened animal. She was still attempting to cover her body, but wasn't exactly doing a very good job of it. I set her down on the bed and tossed my jacket to her once more before I turned away to let her cover herself.

A few minutes later, I turned back around. Nerissa was still eying me in a strange manner. She looked scared of something. Perhaps this other form of hers made her feel more vulnerable?

Tossing off my wig and had and trying to flatten my hair, I stated the obvious, "I'm not going to hurt you, you know."

"I know," Nerissa said, holding the jacket against her.

Deciding that I would have to take charge of the conversation since she wasn't saying anything, I asked, "Why didn't you tell me?"

Seeming to know that I was referring to her two forms, Nerissa looked at the ground and said, "I was ashamed. I am nothing in this form. I cannot even stand without help. I do not want help. I do not ask for help."

"There's nothing to be ashamed of," I told her, sitting down on the bed next to her and tugging off my shoes and stockings.

Nerissa watched me intently and gave a choked laugh as she said, "Do you really think so? I think not. Especially after what all the men told me today. I hate them. I wish I could drown every last one of them."

Even though Nerissa was in her weaker form, her eyes still flashed and I could sense the deadliness within her. I bit my lip and watched her carefully. She was beautiful even when she was angry, but I found that I was a bit afraid of her. I knew that she could easily rip my throat out if she wanted to when she was in mermaid form.

Nerissa took a few deep breaths to try and calm herself down. Finally, she glanced over at me and said, "I am sorry."

Unsure what she was apologizing for, I raised my eyebrows at her and asked, "For what?"

"For everything," Nerissa said, the anger leaving her eyes. "You could have been in lots of trouble for saving me."

"You're worth it to me," I told her truthfully.

Nerissa's red lips curved up in a smile and her eyes brimmed with happy tears once more. I never thought of taking one of her tears. They didn't even tempt me. All I wanted was her trust.

"You're so good. Good and honest," Nerissa stated, leaning towards me. "I love you. May I stay here tonight?"

Her request took me by surprise. I had planned to leave her here and go up to refill her tank with water. Then I could bring her back up to it so she could go back to her original form. She would feel more powerful and less at risk that way.

"Are you certain that's what you want?" I asked her dubiously. "I thought you didn't like being human. I thought that made you feel unsafe. I can go fill your glass tank if you'd rather."

"No," Nerissa said, putting her slender hand over mine. "Don't leave. Stay here with me."

I did just that and looked down into her eyes. Nerissa moved a little closer to me and put her hands on my chest. Her moves were slow and careful. It was as if she was afraid that she would scare me off. My heart started thumping a bit quicker as she started undoing the buttons on my waistcoat. Her lips found mine and brushed against them agonizingly slow.

Nerissa tugged the coat off of my body and went after my breeches next. She stripped me naked in only a few moments. Being naked around her still made me nervous. My breaths quickened and my hand snaked over to my jacket in case I needed to cover myself for some reason or another.

Nerissa raised an eyebrow and asked innocently, "Are you nervous around me? When I said that I wished to drown the sailors earlier, you know that I was not referring to you, right?"

"Yes," I replied, reaching out tentatively and running my hands down her back. Nerissa shivered with pleasure and started kissing me more passionately. Our kisses were frantic and lusty, but were based from the love Nerissa had bound us with. That was how we never lost control and never went farther with each other than we meant to go.

We touched, kissed, and fondled for a good part of the next hour. Nerissa let my jacket fall off one of her shoulders, but I missed the hint and continued kissing along her jawline.

"You can take it off unless you think I'm that ugly to look at," Nerissa whispered into my ear as she stroked the nape of my neck.

Surprised that she wanted this, I slipped my lips off of her pale skin and brought my hands to the buttons of her jacket. I undid them very slowly, watching Nerissa's every reaction. Her breaths grew a bit quicker as my hands went to the last two buttons. She searched my face earnestly, obviously fearing my reaction to her body.

Once the last button had been snapped, I reached up and gently slipped the jacket off of Nerissa's slender shoulders and let it land in a pile on the crisp, white sheets. Nerissa looked scared. Her chest rose and fell quickly and her wide eyes were as big as the full moon shining up in the sky.

I had seen her naked earlier, but I hadn't gotten an up close look at her like I was getting now. Nerissa was gorgeous. Her skin was pale and creamy, her breasts perfectly round and firm, and her legs were beautiful even if she couldn't stand on them.

"You're amazing," I whispered as she shivered in front of me.

Looking like she would really like to cover her body back up, Nerissa shot me a nervous glance and said, "No, I'm not. You are. You're the beautiful one. Kiss me. Please?"

She didn't have to ask twice. I kissed her red lips until they were bruised and swollen. Nerissa nipped back at my mouth, tilting my head at the perfect angle so that her tongue could delve into my mouth. My arms surrounded her, cradling her against me. When Nerissa leaned back and fell into a supine position, it took all my strength to keep from falling on top of her.

We both looked into each other's eyes, realizing that there was really only one thing left to do. For some reason, I felt dirty looking at Nerissa in this way. Perhaps it was because it was the first time I had seen her naked or perhaps because of the things I wanted to do to her. Regardless, I didn't think we should come together quite yet. Nerissa, unfortunately, felt differently.

"Gillette?" she whispering, still staring up at me so innocently.

"Yes?" I asked, reaching down and stroking the back of my hand over her collarbone.

"You love me and I love you," Nerissa started out, watching my expression. "Can we make love?"

I had been expecting the question, but I still thought it was against my better judgment to allow it.

Shaking my head, I said, "I don't think now is the best time."

Nerissa looked hurt. Her eyes searched mine and she asked in a forlorn voice, "You don't love me?"

"No, no, it's not that," I replied quickly. "It's just...I don't think you're strong enough for it yet. Making love takes strength and I don't want you to pass out. You do seem very tired."

"Perhaps," Nerissa replied. "Isn't there something you could do to me without me having to do anything?"

There were lots of things I could do to her, but I wasn't sure if I could do any of them yet. Nerissa looked so angelic and innocent. It seemed wrong to do something dirty to her. Regardless, she was asking me for it.

"Gillette, please..." Nerissa begged, reaching up and kissing down my throat.

I figured I was going to go to hell for this, but I couldn't deny her anymore. I looked down at her and said, "Alright."

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_Review? :)  
_


	23. Touching, Rescuing, & Waiting

_Good morning everyone! So ever since I started writing this, I've had The Little Mermaid songs in my head ALL the time. I'll just start humming them randomly. lol Anyways, thanks for all the wonderful reviews! I appreciate people still reading this. I'm positive I've already given warnings, but the rest of the story will contain sex/rape. Don't like, don't read. Anyways..._

_**RWolfe94: **Yay, a new reader! Thanks so much for taking the time to read this! I'm glad you like Nerissa. She's my favorite OC that I've created at the moment. I hope you continue reading. :3_

_**Sithlord8665: **Hehe, yeah, angry Barbossa would be bad for everyone! And I think Barbossa is angry a LOT of the time, what do you think? :P_

**_Flik: _**_Well...she is in "human" form out of water, so I suppose it's possible. =P You know me, I can't resist a smut scene. lol _

_**AsininityJackal: **LOL, so I guess I'll never convince you otherwise? *sadface* Yeah, "anything" could happen. *smirks*_

_**SgtPeppersLonelyHearts: **Yes, you do! lol Theo is a sweetie! Gotta love him! Omg, I love the Lion King! Don't you just love "I Just Can't Wait to be King"? I sing that way too much and my mom gets so annoyed. Thanks for reading!_

_**Lady Sybelle: **God, it's 100 by you? *faints just thinking about it* It's been around 85-90 here lately, but I don't do well in heat. I have to sit here with the AC, fans, and ice cubes. *rolls eyes* Omg, NY? I have always wanted to go there. Promise you'll tell me what it's like? LOL about spoiling too much. =P Nerissa is brave and tough...I guess that's what mermaids are like! :D_

_**Moviac: **'Course I don't mind you having an opinion! Reviews are for opinions after all. I'll just go ahead and say that I'm a smut writer and if you read my fics, you'll have to expect a lot of smut in them...=/ Personally, I think you may want to reconsider reading the rest of it. There's a lot more Gillette/Nerissa bits and sexual abuse, etc. But if you do want to read it, you could probably skip to the midpoint of this chapter and read just the ending of it. You won't miss anything that way, but it's up to you!_

* * *

**Chapter XXII**

_And ready to know what the people know_  
_Ask 'em my questions_  
_And get some answers_  
_What's a fire and why does it_  
_(What's the word?) burn?_

Nerissa looked excited when I said yes. Her cheeks flushed slightly and her eyes lit up. I continued to look at her a bit dubiously. I still wasn't so sure about marring someone so perfect and beautiful, but I had already told Nerissa I would.

"Are you certain about this?" I asked her tentatively.

"Yes," Nerissa said, reaching up and running a hand over my shoulder and down my arm. "I know I'm safe with you. Should I do anything?"

"Just anything that comes natural to you," I told her. She nodded in reply and waited.

Still not feeling too good about this, I started kissing across Nerissa's collarbone and moved to her breasts. I cupped one of the firm lumps and kissed it before relieving the bothered nub. Nerissa's breath hitched, but she didn't protest when my lips trailed down her abdomen to her stomach. She followed me with her eyes, but that was it.

When I pressed hot, scalding kisses across her belly, she gasped and squirmed. She was very sensitive, definitely more sensitive than a normal female. Not wanting to overdo it, I removed my lips and instead stroked her stomach with two fingers. Nerissa continued to squirm as my fingers traveled a bit lower than her belly. I could feel her muscles clenching under my touch.

My fingers wandered through her thin strip of pubic hair, causing her to buck her hips. I was very surprised by her sensitivity. Just a small caress looked like it was going to bring her to a climax.

Making sure I was being very careful and gentle, I slipped a hand between her thighs and pushed them slightly. Nerissa reacted to my touch immediately and spread her legs for me. No woman had ever exposed me to her place of desire before. It almost seemed disrespectful to touch her there. I stroked the inside of one thigh and then hesitated.

"Gillette?" Nerissa whimpered.

"Yes?" I asked immediately. "Do you want me to stop?"

"No," Nerissa replied automatically. "It's just...you can touch me down there, I don't mind."

Realizing that she did want this, I lightly kissed a place high on the inside of her leg before I reached out tentatively and stroked over her slit. Warm droplets bathed my fingers. Wanting a bit more, I slipped a finger between her slick folds and opened them to peer at the treasured places that they were keeping safe.

Nerissa hadn't moved yet, but I could tell she was still very tense. I rubbed around her entrance a bit more. Wetness engulfed my fingertips. Very slowly, I moved a finger to her sweet spot and caressed it. The touch made Nerissa gasp and stiffen even more.

I rubbed my finger against her stickiness a bit longer before sliding a finger inside the heated chambers. Nerissa squeaked and mumbled something I couldn't hear. Not wanting to break through her maidenhood, I swirled my fingertip around within her heat. Unable to resist, I leaned down and kissed her tender bud.

"Oh my god..." Nerissa gasped, entire body tensing this time. She arched her back and surrendered to me. It hadn't taken much to make her release. I quickly cleaned her up, lapping all the sticky substance from between her legs. She tasted sweet like sugar.

When I had finished, I rolled onto my side next to Nerissa and peered over at her. Her body trembled slightly. I could see beads of sweat rolling off of her. I would've thought that I had hurt her if it weren't for the brightness in her eyes and the small curve of her lips.

"Nerissa?" I asked, wanting to make sure that I hadn't hurt her in any way.

"I love you," Nerissa whispered, twisting off her back and onto her side so she could look at me.

Since I could tell that she was too tired to move, I slipped her body across the sheets and against my body. Nerissa curled up against me and wrapped her arms around me, planting a few kisses below my neck before she tucked her head into my chest. I put a protective arm around her and covered our bodies with the crisp sheet.

"Gillette, promise me something," Nerissa mumbled. She was so sleepy that her words came out almost as one long word.

"Anything," I whispered back to her. It was true; I loved Nerissa and would now do anything for her.

"I don't want you to be with anyone else," Nerissa murmured. "I want to be your only one. I want to be with you for forever."

"We will be," I replied without a thought. "I promise."

With that said, I planted a kiss on the top of her head and waited for her to fall asleep. I didn't think about the promise I had made her. Where could we be together forever? Was there a place on this earth that even allowed that?

When I awoke, Nerissa was still sleeping the next morning. She still had her arms around me. She was so sweet and perfect. Not wanting to wake her, I slipped out of her grasp as slowly as I could. Nerissa mumbled something under her breath, but didn't wake. I dressed quickly and planned to go fill her prism with water and put her there so she could recover.

I quickly opened the door to my cabin and walked quietly down the hall and up to the deck. Theodore was still there, looking extremely tired. When he saw me, he gave me a wry smile and waved to me.

"Hello Theodore," I greeted him. "How are you? Pardon me for saying this, but you look very tired."

"I am tired," Theodore replied. "What about you? How are you this morning?"

"Good," I replied automatically.

Theodore raised his eyebrows at me and repeated, "Good? Just good? I would have thought you would have been better considering the events of last night."

Not quite sure what that was suppose to mean, I asked, "What do you mean?"

"Oh come now, Gillette," Theodore said, a smile snaking across his lips. "Don't think I don't have any idea what you and your mermaid were up to last night. You were in the same room and in the same bed."

Blushing, I said, "What was the point of this conversation again?"

"Good question," Theodore smirked. "I forgot, but I am wondering something. What are you planning to do with Nerissa this morning? I filled her tank with some water. I suppose I am right in thinking that you won't put her back in the net?"

My nose wrinkled at the thought of putting Nerissa back in that horrible net. I shook my head at Theodore and said, "We'll put her back in the tank. She feels best when she's in water. Being out of it makes her feel nervous."

Theodore nodded and then asked me nervously, "Have you thought about the captain though?"

"What about the captain?" I asked.

"Well," Theodore started out a-matter-of-factly. "He will obviously see that someone tore the net down. I don't want you to get into trouble for putting Nerissa back into the tank."

"There's no way for the captain to know that I was the one who let Nerissa go," I pointed out.

Theodore rolled his eyes at me and said, "I'm sorry, Gillette, but everyone knows that you would be the one to release Nerissa. Remember when you covered her with your jacket yesterday?"

I thought about this and realized that Theodore did have a point. Was there any way out of this? The only way to keep me from getting into trouble was to put Nerissa back up in the net and there was no chance of me doing that. If I was punished, I would take the punishment without complain. Nerissa had already gone through hell to be with me. I could sacrifice a bit to be with her.

"I remember," I finally replied to Theodore. "I don't regret it. Nerissa means the world to me."

"You're quite serious about her, aren't you?" Theodore said.

"Of course I am," I said, giving him a hurt look. Why would he think I wasn't serious about her?

"Well, I'd suggest you go get her and put her in the tank. It will be much worse if Barbossa finds her in your bed," Theodore pointed out, giving me a wry smile.

Realizing that he had a point, I went back down below deck to my cabin. Nerissa was still sleeping. Unsure how to wake her up, I leaned over her and whispered quietly, "Nerissa?"

Nerissa didn't budge. I tried calling her name again, but still had no result. Finally, I leaned down and pressed a kiss to her neck. Nerissa's eyes immediately popped open. When she saw me, her lips curved into a smile.

"We have to get you back into the water," I told Nerissa. "We don't want Barbossa to find you here."

Nerissa nodded and reached up to me, saying, "Don't I get a 'good morning' first?"

I kissed up her chest and up her neck to her ear. I nibbled gently on it before picking her up. Nerissa put her arms around me and leaned against my chest as I brought her out of the cabin and up the stairs to the upper deck.

"Wait, nobody is up there, right?" Nerissa asked me, looking down at her body nervously.

"Just Theodore," I told her, "but you don't have to worry about him. He won't look at you."

Nerissa nodded and let me bring her over to the tank. I gently set her inside it and watched as her legs fused together and formed a smooth, shiny green tale. Nerissa looked happy to be back in the water. She swam about and splashed me playfully. I smiled back at her and then took a few steps back. All there was to do now was wait for Barbossa and see what he would do when he saw that Nerissa was back in her tank.

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_Review? :)  
_


	24. Used & Abused

_Hi guys! Happy...Saturday? Lol, I don't even know what day of the week it is. Thank you all for continuing to read! Same warnings for this chapter as were in the last. This is from Nerissa's POV._

_**Hopeless-romance45: **Lol, now two of us are going to be singing Little Mermaid! I haven't seen that movie for forever...now I want to. :P_

**_Sithlord8665: _**_Do you think you'll see OST soon? I think Barbossa was really angry in it. He wanted revenge on Blackbeard for attacking his ship and making him loose his leg, you know? Then again, maybe that's just my opinion. =P_

_**AsininityJackal: **Woo, go team Mermaid! *joins you with a banner* hehe Don't think you'll like Barbossa in this chappie, but I will admit he's a bit ooc. _

**_SgtPeppersLonelyHearts: _**_Hehe, I'm glad you liked it! I love smut scenes. :P Good thing my mom never gets into my computer. XD Omg, you're so lucky you have those songs on your iPod! I want them. lol They're so catchy though, don't you think? I hear them once and then I'm singing them all day long!_

**_Avatar Stark: _**_Don't worry, there will be some "proper" smut before the end of this. I think I have two smut scenes, I don't remember though. lol_

_**Lady Sybelle: **Barbossa's not going to be so nice in this chapter. :( We just need Gillette to save Nerissa. I'll see if I can get around to it._

**_RWolfe94: _**_I agree with you about the problems! I think they should've just set her free though...they know she'll end up dead otherwise. *sadface* I'm so glad you're still reading this! :3_

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**Chapter XXIII**

_Sweet dreams are made of this_  
_ Who am I to disagree?_  
_ Travel the world and the seven seas_  
_ Everybody's looking for something_  
_ Some of them want to use you_  
_ Some of them want to get used by you_  
_ Some of them want to abuse you_  
_ Some of them want to be abused_

I was glad to be back in water. I swam around happily in my tank and splashed some water at Gillette in a playful manner. He gave me a half smile. I knew he was scared of what Barbossa might do. After all, Gillette had gone against orders and had freed me from that horrible fishing net. If Barbossa tried to hurt him, I would say that it had been my fault and that I had escaped. I couldn't stand watching my lover get hurt.

I felt closer to Gillette after last night. We hadn't actually slept together, but we had come close to it. I wanted to spend another night with him and take down all the barriers. Gillette seemed wary of it, but I would be fine. I was strong enough for it.

Fifteen minutes or so passed. Men walked out on deck and went to do their duties. A few shot a look in my direction, but none of them commented about how I had gone from the fishing net to my tank. That was a good sign.

Clunk, clunk, clunk. Everyone standing on the deck looked towards the stairs. We all knew that Barbossa was coming. The clunking gave his presence away long before we could see him. I flicked my tail around nervously as I watched him step onto the deck. His eyes immediately fell on me and then went straight to Gillette. Barbossa must've known that he had released me.

"I see that someone released the mermaid," Barbossa announced. More eyes went to Gillette. Barbossa continued on, "I suppose this be fer the best. I'll be takin' the mermaid with me. The rest of ye keep steering straight ahead to White Cap Bay."

Barbossa's reaction shocked me quite a bit. I had expected him to demand to know who had released me. Instead, he had merely picked up my tank and was taking me back down the stairs to the cabins. This was odd. Too odd. I was getting a strange sinking feeling in my stomach. Something bad was about to happen.

I peered out of the transparent sides of my cage at Gillette. He was watching me with big brown eyes. I met his eyes and found new emotions going through me. I was scared, but not for myself. This thought hadn't come from me, but it had somehow ended up in my head. Was I hearing Gillette's thoughts in my mind? Was that what it was?

Barbossa brought me to his cabin and put my tank in the corner of it as usual. After that, he disappeared out of the door. I hoped he was going to leave me alone now. Unfortunately, that was a very unlikely possibility. Most likely, he was coming up with a new kind of torture method. There was also the possibility that he had become so fed up with me that he actually wanted to kill me.

A moment later, Barbossa appeared through the door with something small and shiny in his hand. I peered out of my tank, but couldn't quite see what it was. Barbossa smirked and said, "Ye want to see what this is?"

Without waiting for my answer, Barbossa flicked the lid to my cage open. I poked my head out of the water so I could see what he was holding. It was the key that Gillette had taken from him on our first meeting on the ship.

Barbossa went to the door and locked it with the key, chuckling malevolently under his breath. Producing his pistol, Barbossa pointed it at my chest and said, "Get out, vile creature."

I pursed my lips and looked between him and the pistol. It was very likely that Barbossa would shoot if I didn't get out of the cage. Wanting to take advantage of the situation, I propelled myself out of the water with my tail and tried to lunge at Barbossa. Barbossa took a step backwards and left me to go slamming into the floorboards.

"I've been kind to ye," Barbossa said, ignoring my attempted attack. He paced around me and continued on, "Ye haven't returned me hospitality. Ye won't give me a single tear. I'll give ye one last chance. Will ye give a tear?"

I gave Barbossa an annoyed look and shook my head. What made him think I would change my mind already?

"Very well. Remember that ye brought this down on yerself, fish," Barbossa said with a shrug.

"Are you going to kill me?" I asked him from where I was lying on a heap on the floor.

"Nay," Barbossa said with a shake of his head. "Killin' ye won't help anyone."

Wondering what that meant, I tried to get up, but Barbossa was already there. He picked me up and tossed me onto the bed. I squirmed and tried to sit up. Barbossa wouldn't let me. He shoved me back down on the bed. Too weak to do much of anything in my human form, I laid still with my heart racing.

Barbossa smirked at me and got onto the bed with a loud creak. He crouched over my body so that we were much too close. I looked at him desperately, wishing there was something I could do to get away.

Barbossa put a hand around my neck and fingered the seaweed necklace that Zale had given me. He grabbed it and yanked it off my neck. I frowned and watching him throw my last memory of Zale onto the floor.

My breaths shortened as Barbossa touched the base of my neck and ran his hand all the way down to my breasts. He touched them lightly at first before his calloused fingers dug into the fleshy mounds and started squeezing them. Wishing he would get his hands off of me, I looked down and closed my eyes, trying to disappear from the situation.

Barbossa's hands snaked down my body and skimmed across my abdomen. Muscles within me immediately clenched and left me gasping for breath.

"Sensitive, are ye?" Barbossa smirked at me, his eyes shining evilly at me. "I think I know where ye'd be even more sensitive."

I made no response as Barbossa ran his thumbs over my hipbones. I did my best to stay still even though I wanted to squirm and get away. Barbossa picked up one of my legs and studied it carefully. Now I did squirm. I tried to push my legs together to try and hide the center of my being.

"That won't do ye any good," Barbossa told me as he pushed my legs apart.

I glared at him as he started tracing circles up my inner leg. I knew he was staring at my center, probably trying to detect if I was still a virgin or not. I could tell that he was going to rape me, but there was nothing I could do about it.

"Please..." I whispered weakly. "Please stop..."

"How many times did I ask ye fer that tear and how many times did ye refuse? Nay, I won't stop. This be yer own fault," Barbossa replied sadistically.

I squealed as he suddenly grabbed my hands together and pinned them above my head. He grabbed some rope from his pocket and wrapped it around my hands, tying it in a tight knot. I tried to yank my hands apart, but that only made the knot tighter.

"It be so ye don't try to escape," Barbossa explained, nodding at my bonds.

His hand had traveled up my thigh and now there was only one place left to go. Barbossa ran his hand between my legs before leaning down and blowing air onto the sensitive area. My face screwed up and I tried to jerk away. Annoyed, Barbossa leaned up and sent his fist flying into my face. Blood burst out of my nose and I was left stunned.

I was still trying to make my vision stop blurring when Barbossa parted the sticky folds between my legs. His hand went straight to the tender bud above my slit. He pinched it and started twisting it with a satanic look on his face. If I could've cried from sorrow, I would have. Since mermaids can cry only from joy, all I could do was whimper and pray for a rescuer.

No rescuer came. Barbossa's hands went to his breeches. He tugged them down and positioned himself over me. I closed my hands and waited for the pain. Barbossa said something, but I ignored him.

"Look at me when I be speakin' to you!" he hissed, grabbing a fistful of my hair and tugging my head up so that I was forced to listen to him. Trembling, I shot him a look of the utmost loathing.

"Did yer lad take ye or are ye still a virgin?" Barbossa questioned.

"I don't see why it matters to you," I spat in his face. All that did was earn me another smack.

"Since ye aren't goin' to tell me, I suppose we'll be findin' out then," Barbossa shrugged.

I braced myself again, wishing that Gillette had taken my virginity. The very last thing I wanted was for it to be taken from me by this evil man. Unfortunately, I had no choice about this anymore. Barbossa was on top and dominating. I was weak and helpless.

Barbossa held my hips steady and surged inside me with power that I didn't know he possessed. He smashed my maidenhood and sent my mind spinning. I screamed, unable to keep the pain inside. Barbossa slapped a hand over my mouth and started pounding into me. There was nothing gentle or kind about how he was doing this. He stretched my insides and scratched against the place that he had cut into moments earlier.

Each thrust was a new burst of pain. I felt like I was being electrocuted as Barbossa dug farther and farther within me. I bit my lip as hard as I could and did my best to keep from screaming. I wanted as much dignity in this situation as possible.

Barbossa was relentless. His pounds grew more painful. My eyes rolled back in my head and I arched my back, unable to keep it in any longer. I begged through my ragged breaths, "Oh please stop. Please! Oh my god...you're killing me..."

It might have sounded like an exaggeration, but it was anything but that. Mermaids weren't made to sleep with humans. Our bodies were much more sensitive than a normal woman's body. I couldn't handle this.

Ignoring my cries, Barbossa sped up and hit a sensitive place within me. He stiffened and released within me as I bit down on my tongue to keep from screaming out for help. The taste of blood filled my mouth and my vision blurred once more.

I expected Barbossa to leave me then. I figured he would lock me in the cabin and wait to see if I would die from the assault. When he didn't do either of these things, I looked up into his bright eyes and realized something; this was just the beginning.

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_Review? :)  
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	25. Bound & Head Down

_Omg, I still have readers! *is surprised* I thought I'd have scared you all away by now. lol Anyways, here's the next chapter in Nerissa's POV..._

_**SgtPeppersLonelyHearts: **True, that would be romantic, but this is a tragedy. Yes, those tunes are great! I really need to get them! And lol, let's cut off the voodoo doll's head. I'm feeling evil today. :P_

**_Sithlord8665: _**_Yep, I kind of hinted at it from the start...:( Aw, so you can't go to the movies by yourself or anything? I didn't think it was fair how Barbossa lied to everyone and pretended to be after the Fountain of Youth just to kill Blackbeard, you know? *sadface*_

**_AsininityJackal: _**_Damn...well, can't say I didn't try. haha You should join the Barbossa's loyalest fans group or something. :P Thanks for reading! :D_

**_Hopeless-romanc45: _**_Hehe, yes, I know who you are. =P Yes, bad Barbossa! lol_

_**Moviac: **No problem about the previous chapter, I'm just glad you're still here. Well...there's not really going to be new torture methods. They'll just be the same ones because my mind has stopped working and I can't think of anything else to do but the torture chair thingy and that would be a bit out of context. :P Ha, you're exactly right! I wonder how you knew that? But yeah, I blame him for Groves and Gillette dying. He got his whole crew killed just so he could have revenge for a missing leg. A little overboard, right?_

**_Knight Mistress: _**_Omg, I was thinking the same thing! Well, we'll soon see what he does...:3_

**_RWolfe94: _**_Yeah, I'll join you in smacking Barbossa! *gets ready for major smacking* haha And I agree about Gillette! Thanks for reading! :D_

**_Lady Sybelle: _**_Thanks! Well...I'll just be blunt and say that they both won't escape from the Providence. *hints* I have a weird ending...I doubt anyone will be able to predict it. lol I hope you keep reading! ;D_

* * *

**Chapter XXIV**

_It took so long to remember just what happened._  
_I was so young and vestal then,_  
_you know it hurt me,_  
_but I'm breathing so I guess I'm still alive_  
_even if signs seem to tell me otherwise._  
_I've got my hands bound,_  
_my head down , my eyes closed,_  
_and my throat wide open._

_Do unto others what has been done to you._

"Let me go," I whispered to Barbossa in a weak voice. "I can't handle it..."

"Let ye go?" Barbossa echoed my question with raised eyebrows. "Nay, but I will do this fer ye."

Barbossa grabbed a knife from his pocket. My eyes widened and I half expected him to slam the blade through my heart. He didn't. Instead, he brought the knife to the ropes tying my wrists together and started sawing through them. My hands felt numb even after the rope was gone. It was as if my circulation had been cut off and I couldn't feel anything anymore.

Without warning, Barbossa grabbed me and rolled me onto my stomach. I felt his hot breath over my back. This position was much worse than the first. I couldn't see what he was doing when I was face down on the sheets.

"Get on yer hands and knees," Barbossa ordered me.

Feeling very much like his slave, I did as I was told and crouched on my hands and knees. This was a very embarrassing position, but there was just nothing I could do about any of this. I would do what Barbossa said in hopes of him letting me go sooner versus later. Well, if he ever did decide to let me go. At the current moment, that possibility was not so good.

Barbossa's hot breath continued to flow onto my skin. A moment later, he was pressing excruciatingly hot kisses down my back. They seemed to burn my skin and scorch my body. His hands explored my lower back before he was touching my rear, grabbing me there and squeezing to the point where it was getting quite unbearable.

I grabbed the pillow with my teeth and bit into it to keep from making any sound. Barbossa's hand slipped between my legs as he forced my hips up. He stretched out one finger and started rubbing me. I knew he was trying to make me wet, but I did by best to resist. Unfortunately, any female will respond to being touched intimately like that. It grew hot and sticky between my legs. Barbossa continued stroking me until I dripped.

"Ye do want me. No matter how much ye resist, ye do want this," Barbossa laughed from above me.

"I don't. You're hurting me," I gasped as my muscles clenched. "I only love one man. He treats me kindly. You're an evil bastard."

"Save yer breath," Barbossa smirked. "Words won't hurt me. Who are ye talkin' about? That Gillette lad?"

I wrinkled my nose at him as he snaked his finger between my folds and thrust it up into my heat.

"I'll be takin' that as a yes," Barbossa replied. He drew his finger out of me and waved it in my face. "What do ye call this then?"

I had an impulse to bite his finger, but didn't have enough strength for that. Frowning at his slick finger, I hissed, "I'm female. Any female would react that way if you touch her in a private place. Cruel domination has nothing to do with love."

"That be what yer callin' this?" Barbossa asked in surprise. "Cruel domination?"

"What else is..." I gasped as Barbossa surged into me with a heavy thrust. I never finished my sentence.

Barbossa was much harder with me in this position. He held my hips steady and started slamming into me with sadistic power. He stretched me over and over again until I felt like I was going to explode. He throbbed hard inside my small tunnel, causing my whole body to thrum with the agony that never seemed to end.

The relentless pounding was starting to become too much for me. I made one last attempt at escape and tried to wriggle out of Barbossa's grip. All that did was cause him to jerk into a painful part inside of me. I gasped and started screaming. My screams seemed to reverberate around the room and echo in my head.

Barbossa was past the point of trying to get me to be quiet. His hands ran up my sides and clutched my breasts. My chest heaved and sweat started rolling down my body. Barbossa's loud panting sounded in my ear and I felt his sweat dripping onto my back. I wanted to submerge myself in the crystal clear water of my home in White Cap Bay and never return to this hellish vessel.

Barbossa shattered within me, pouring into my womb. I collapsed on the bed, whimpering and panting. My heart rate was getting too fast. The pillow my head was pressed into was splattered with blood from when Barbossa had smashed my nose. The whole world seemed to be blurring and twisted before my eyes. Pain continued to streak through me. Was I dying?

Barbossa got off of me for a moment. I could hear his panting in my ear, but did my best to ignore it. The only thing I seemed to hear was my own frantically beating heart. After a moment, I felt another emotion too. It was panic.

"Get up, creature," Barbossa said from what seemed like a long distance away even though he was just a few feet away.

I couldn't get up. Even if he wanted me to, I couldn't. I felt like I had a headache that was trying to split my head apart. My vision continued to distort all the images before my eyes. Even my breath was gone. Screaming was beyond me. All I could do was choke and whimper.

"I thought mermaids be tough," Barbossa said. "Ye must be an exception. Get up or else I'll get ye up meself."

Get up, get up, get up... Barbossa's words ricocheted around in my head. I couldn't get up. He was going to have to move me. All my will and strength had been drained and sucked out of my body.

"Well then," Barbossa said, pushing me onto my side. I curled up into a ball, but Barbossa was already tugging me apart. He shoved my knees up to my chest and forced my upper leg forward so that my legs were in a scissors-like position. Barbossa mounted my lower leg and ran his hand over my slit.

I couldn't drip anymore. My whole body was shutting down. It was as if I was being engulfed in the cloud of death. Barbossa didn't care though. He entered me for the third time and started thrusting hard within me. His motions were more jerky and painful this time. I figured it was because of the position we we were. I would've twisted onto my back, but I just felt stuck. I couldn't move anything.

Suddenly, I heard banging and hammering that was not coming from my core. I was too tired to try to figure out what it was. Barbossa suddenly stopped sawing into me and a diabolical smile curled his lips.

Smirking down at me, he commanded, "Scream."

I couldn't do anything. My lips wouldn't even make sound. All I could do was mouth, "I cannot..."

"Scream!" Barbossa insisted. "I want yer lover boy to hear this."

It took me a few minutes to figure out what he was saying to me. Finally, my mind processed what he had just said. Gillette was just outside the door, trying to rescue me. My mouth curved into a small smile. At least if I died here I would know that I had been loved and that someone had tried to save me.

"Bloody woman," Barbossa said, smacking me again. He started thrusting once more, going even harder and faster than before. There was loud screaming in my head. Pain, agony, love, and pleasure all mixed and became one in my head. I felt myself drowning down in a whirlpool of darkness.

From what seemed like miles away, I could feel Barbossa releasing in me and finally getting off me. That didn't make the screaming stop though. It just kept getting louder and louder. The whirlpool kept dragging me down.

"Are ye dead?" Barbossa asked, peering under my eyelids.

My eyes were glazed and I didn't answer. I didn't even move when he pinched one of my nipples. Barbossa sighed and left me there on the bed as he got up. Strange feelings sizzled down my veins. Black was crashing down on me. Barbossa was saying something, but his words just sounded like a long, muffled scream.

Sweat and blood poured from my body. I thought my leg was broken. When Barbossa had mounted the lower one, I had heard a deadly snap and then felt another rush of pain. I gave up trying to fight the pain, the screaming, and the rage that came from deep within my core. I heard a shot and then fell still.

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_Review? :)  
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	26. Cold & Blank

_Hi guys, sorry for the late update. I hate morning appointments. Actually, I hate mornings in general. Anyways, this is in Gillette's POV..._

**_Beckettfangirl: _**_*joins you in throttling him* Hehe, yes, Gillette should! Thanks for reading!_

**_Sithlord8665: _**_That does suck. How old are you, btw? You don't have to answer that if you don't want to. My mom let's me go to the movies by myself, but I'm not aloud to go anywhere else by myself. *rolls eyes*_

**_12DEHD: _**_Ooo, the beach! Was it nice? Did you see any mermaids there? hehe Nice prediction, but that's too happy of an ending for me...:P_

**_AsininityJackal: _**_Who? Me? *looks innocent*_

**_SgtPeppersLonelyHearts: _**_Hehe, I do see that! You'll see about the shot in this one. Usually though, I don't kill people with pistols. I do it the bloody way. lol *grabs some scissors for the voodoo doll as well* hehe Hope you like the chapter!_

**_Moviac: _**_I'm starting to get a thing for cliffies! lol Don't worry, all your questions will be answered in this chapter! I hope you like it!_

**_Knight Mistress: _**_Yes, I agree. I dunno why I made it so long. Maybe I was in a weird mood. lol Thanks for reading!_

**_Flik: _**_OMG, there you are! I thought you died or something. How are you? *hugs* How's the internet doing? I PM'd you...dunno if you got my message or not. Anyways, reply whenever you feel like it and I hope you're doing better soon...*more hugs*_

_**Lady Sybelle: **Yes, where the hell is Gillette in her time of need? *looks around for him* And yeah, let's go after Barbossa together. *grabs ax* Hehe, more "no interruption scenes" later. XD_

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**Chapter XXV**

_ There's something cold and blank behind her smile_  
_ She's standing on an overpass_  
_ In her miracle mile_  
_ You were from a perfect world_  
_ A world that threw me away today_  
_ Today to run away_

I knew something was wrong as soon as Barbossa had taken Nerissa back down to his cabin. It wasn't like Barbossa not to ask who had set Nerissa free. This meant that he had something planned for her. Whatever it was, I was positive that it couldn't be good. That bad feeling continued to haunt me when Barbossa didn't come back to the deck. Unable to keep this bad feeling to myself, I nudged Theodore. He sighed and abandoned his post to come talk to me.

"What is it, Gillette?" he asked, looking at the stairs nervously.

"It's Nerissa," I replied. "Barbossa took her down to the cabins without comment."

"Yes, I was present for that," Theodore replied, obviously not getting my point.

A bit annoyed that he wasn't sharing my concern for her, I frowned and said, "Well? Don't you find that a bit odd? Barbossa never leaves the deck besides for night. He's obviously doing something to her!"

"Not necessarily," Theodore said evenly. "Really, Gillette, don't you think you're being a bit paranoid?"

I started to answer Theodore, but found my words had left me. Everything had left me besides for a screaming in my head. It wasn't my own screaming. It had to be Nerissa. I had to go to her. Now!

"Watch my post," I told Theodore before I turned and raced down the cabins below deck. Horrible noises were coming from Barbossa's cabin. He sounded like he was taunting someone. Oh lord, I had to get in there!

Without thinking, I grabbed the door handle. It was locked. Damn. Why did the bloody door have to be locked the one time I was desperate to get to Nerissa? What if Barbossa was killing her in there?

I turned and ran to my cabin, grateful I had stolen the key from Barbossa a while back. I had left it under my pillowcase. As I ran into my room, I heard awful bloodcurdling screaming coming from the cabin. Panic ran through my body. How much longer did she have? What was Barbossa doing to her?

I threw the pillow across the room, reached for the key, and gripped empty space. The key was gone. What the hell had happened to it? I knew without a doubt that I hadn't lost it. Barbossa must've taken it. Damn it.

I ran back to Barbossa's cabin and started hammering on the door. The screaming had stopped. All I could hear now was hopeless whimpering and Barbossa saying something or another. A crack sounded and I started hyperventilating. What if he had just cracked her ribs? What if he had thrown her against the wall?

My pounding on the door became louder and more frantic. I was going to break down the bloody door if I had to. I was going to get to Nerissa if it was there very last thing I did...

"Unless ye want me to shoot ye, ye'd better get back to yer post, Mr. Gillette," Barbossa yelled at me through the door.

"Let her go. What are you doing to her?" I demanded.

A shot rang out and went through the door an inch to my left. Barbossa wasn't joking about shooting me. I sighed and tried to figure out what to do. Did I stay here or go back to my post? I wouldn't do Nerissa any good if I were dead and then there wouldn't be anyone to help her. I would go back to my post and come for her as soon as Barbossa left.

Going back up to the deck was probably the worst thing I had ever done in my life. Once I was back on deck, I couldn't stand still. I paced frantically around the deck, thinking of all the awful things Barbossa could be doing to my Nerissa.

Finally having had enough of my frantic pacing, Theodore stopped me by taking my shoulders and saying, "Gillette, please calm down. What's going on? You look like you've seen a ghost."

"Nerissa," I whispered. "He's doing something to her. She was screaming and then she went quiet. What if he killed her? I tried to get in to the cabin, but the door was locked and Barbossa said he'd shoot me if I came in..."

"Take a deep breath," Theodore ordered me. "Look me in the eye."

I frowned, took a deep breath, and raised my eyes to Theodore's. There was guilt in my eyes. I didn't feel right about leaving Nerissa and Barbossa alone in the cabin, but I didn't want to get shot either. With me dead, Nerissa wouldn't have anyone to save her. I was going to save her after this if it wasn't too late. I didn't care what happened to me; I would help her.

"You did everything you could for Nerissa," Theodore told me, looking straight into my eyes. "There was nothing more you could do for her. I understand you love her, but she's a mermaid and you're a human. You could never be together. You do understand that, don't you? I can't lose you, Gillette. You've been my best friend and have been my fellow Lieutenant for years."

Theodore had a point there, we had been together for years. He didn't quite understand though. He didn't understand the bond Nerissa and I had. I didn't share my intimate life with people, so there was no way he could know how much I loved Nerissa.

"She isn't always a mermaid," I found myself saying. "You remember how she becomes human when she's out of water, don't you? Oh god, what is Barbossa doing to her? What if he's cutting off her scales or...or doing something horrible to her?"

I saw a ghost of comprehension cross Theodore's face. He bit his lip and didn't meet my eyes. Hm...

"What is it?" I asked him nervously. "Do you know what's happened to Nerissa? Tell me! What's he doing to her?"

"You told me you heard screaming and then all went quiet. There wasn't any other sounds after that?" Theodore asked.

I searched my mind, trying to remember if I had heard any noises after that. It had all gone by so fast and I had been distracted. Scratching my head, I said irritably, "Oh, I don't know. Barbossa said something about shooting me."

"No, no, I wasn't talking about Barbossa," Theodore said. "I meant Nerissa. Did you hear her say or do anything?"

"Hm..." I said, willing myself to think. I had heard her screaming and then it had been quiet. Oh wait, I had heard something more. There had been some kind of strange choking and whimpering noise. "Well, I did hear someone whimpering and choking. Oh god, you don't think he's strangling her in there, do you?"

"No..." Theodore trailed off, not meeting my eyes.

I felt angry and wished he would just tell me what he was thinking already. Clenching my hands into fists, I asked, "Well, what do you think he did to her? I'm going to kill that bastard. I swear to god I'll-"

Theodore stamped on my foot hard, causing me to bite my lip to keep from crying out. Theodore nodded slightly to something or someone behind me. Turning, I saw Barbossa appearing on deck. He met my eyes and shot me an evil smile. My eyes narrowed and I ran straight to the stairs to get to Nerissa. I didn't care if the door was still locked; I would break it down if I had to.

"There be no use," Barbossa said as I ran to the stairs. "She already be dead."

Dead? No. She was not dead. I didn't stop as I started running down the stairs. I could get my revenge on Barbossa later. All that mattered right now was finding Nerissa and making sure she was alright. I ran down the long hallway and all the way to Barbossa's cabin. I expected the cabin door to be locked, so I was surprised to find it unlocked. I opened the door and...

Oh my god. My eyes widened as I stepped into the room. It smelled horrible. I didn't think I had ever smelled something so dreadful before. Blood was everywhere. It stained the white sheets and had splattered onto the walls and had slowly dripped down them. Nerissa was lying on the bed looking very dead. Her skin was chalky white and her eyes closed. She was completely naked and was covered with bruises. A little pool of blood had dried between her legs. Barbossa had raped her. The only question left to ask was if he had actually killed her or not.

Feeling my heart pounding in my chest, I stepped forwards and knelt next to the bed. I didn't cry often since that was not my way, but I felt tears coming to my eyes as I stared at Nerissa lying broken and bloody before me. How dare Barbossa treat her like this? How could he possibly rape my love like this? She had been mine to take, not his.

"Nerissa, darling, please..." I begged, reaching out and touching her cheek. "Please open your eyes for me."

Nerissa didn't move at my touch. She continued to lay very still without moving. Her skin was colder than cold and it almost looked flaky. Her hair was in knots and tangles and there was sweat slicking the front of it back. Oh god...

"You can't be dead, you just can't!" I begged the woman lying before me. "You will come back to me. You will! I won't let you go."

There was still no answer. I let out a string of curse words at the heavens and at Barbossa. Now I had to decide what to do with her. Taking a deep breath, I decided that the first step was just to get her out of this bloody, foul-smelling room. I reached down and wrapped my arms around her limp body.

I brought Nerissa to my own cabin and laid her down in the center of my bed. I adjusted the pillow under her head and stared down at the mess before me. Nerissa's innocence had been stolen and her trust in mankind would no doubt have been shattered.

"Don't-touch-me," a mumble sounded from the bed.

I looked down with shock and saw that Nerissa had indeed uttered the slurred jumble of words. I sighed with relief and knelt next to Nerissa, explaining, "It's me. Barbossa's not here. It's only me. I won't hurt you. Oh god, I'm so sorry, Nerissa. I love you so much."

Nerissa cracked one green eye open just a crack. It wasn't the shiny gemstone it had used to be. Instead, it was glazed and stunned. It took Nerissa a minute before she recognized me.

"Gillette..." she whispered. She tried to hold her arms out to me, but there was no strength left in her.

I knew what she wanted. I climbed onto the bed next to her and rested her against my chest. Tears poured from my eyes and dripped onto her dull, knotted hair. Nerissa buried her head in my chest as if she was trying to shield herself from the world. A moment later, she went limp. Would she die here in my arms? Or would she live to see tomorrow's sunrise?

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_Review? :)  
_


	27. Silence & Awkwardness

_Wow, I'm shocked people are still reading this! Thank you all, you inspire me so much. :)_

_**Hopeless-romance45: **Yes, let's hope they get off the ship ASAP! lol_

_**Beckettfangirl: **Lol, that's really funny about your mom and Tom Hollander! I started laughing over here when I saw your review and my mom's all like "What? Are you watching some video with that Groves person in it?" lol_

_**CharlieCats: **Yay, you're reading this too! *hugs* So what do you think of Barbossa in general? I know I tried to make him really evil in this...=P_

_**Lady Sybelle: **Aw, don't cry! *hands tissue* Lucky you for an iPhone. Does it work well? I want one super bad. Sorry, that was random. _

_**12DEHD: **Yeah, it is a bit cliche, but I don't really have anything against cliche things. People say I write Mary Sues, but I say whatever. =P Yep, I finished it actually. XD So the ending is all planned out. Love the announcer voice, btw. :3_

**_Sithlord8665: _**_Yeah, poor Gillette and 'Rissa! *sniffs too* Hopefully, there will be a little happiness before the sad ending..._

_**Moviac: **Lol, yes, you can hope if you'd like, but I can assure you that Rissa and Gillette don't have the happiest of endings. Also, yes, that was pretty much it for the torture. Although, if you keep this canon, Gillette will never get his revenge...*hints*_

**_Knight Mistress: _**_Yes, poor Rissa! *sadface* Thanks for reading!_

**_SgtPeppersLonelyHearts: _**_Oh no, you thought she was dead? It's not quite over yet...I think I have 14 more chapters left or so. :) And lol, I'll give Damian a hug any day! :D Yep, Barbossa will live...at least through the end of OST. XD Thanks for reading!_

**_(): _**_Woo, new reader! Glad you joined the party! hehe I love the Little Mermaid too! Isn't it great? Barbossa in this is very evil. I know I wrote him a bit ooc, but I really hated him in OST and so that's where all this came from. I hope you continue to read! :)_

* * *

**Chapter XXVI**

_She came calling_  
_One early morning_  
_She showed her crown of thorns_  
_She whispered softly_  
_To tell a story_  
_About how she had been wronged_  
_As she lay lifeless_  
_He stole her innocence_  
_And this is how she carried on_  
_Well I guess she closed her eyes_  
_And just imagined everything's alright_  
_But she could not hide her tears_  
_'Cause they were sent to wash away those years_

That night was probably the scariest night of my life. I kept expecting Nerissa's little heart to stop beating and for her to wilt in my arms. I held her tightly all through the night and tried to force the will to live into her. Surprisingly enough, Barbossa never came around to see what I was doing. He must have assumed that Nerissa was dead. She did look dead. She slept all throughout the night and only opened her eyes a crack at sunrise.

Seeing her open her eyes was a huge relief to me. Sighing with relief, I stroked her hair and asked, "Is there anything you need? What can I get you?"

Nerissa tried to stretch, but it must have hurt her. She stopped and let her limbs flop limply to her sides. Her hair was still knotted and her skin still pale, but at least her heart was still pumping and her lungs working.

"Water," Nerissa croaked in response to my question.

I nodded and tried to think of some way to get the glass box into my cabin without it looking too suspicious. After telling Nerissa to wait for me, I slipped out of the cabin and was surprised to see the glass box sitting at the end of the hallway. Barbossa must have gotten rid of it when he assumed Nerissa to be dead.

After glancing around and not seeing anyone nearby, I slid the glass box into the cabin and then went up to the deck to get some buckets of water. Not many sailors were awake yet and so nobody questioned me when I started filling a few buckets of water and returned to my cabin. I dumped the water into Nerissa's tank and then looked over at her.

Nerissa was watching me with slightly glazed eyes. When she noticed I was done, she reached out her arms to me. I picked her up and gently put her into the water. Her legs immediately fused together and she was able to swim around the tank.

Nerissa already looked better now that she was in water. The color had returned to her cheeks and the blood had washed off her body. I didn't want to leave her, but I had to go to my post or else Barbossa would come to see what I was doing.

"I have to leave and do my duties," I told her. "Are you going to be alright?"

Nerissa nodded without saying anything, her expression unreadable.

Knowing that there wasn't much more to say, I got up and left Nerissa alone in my cabin. I made sure to lock the door before I walked down the hallway and up to the deck. The very last thing any of us needed was for Barbossa to find Nerissa in my cabin and assault her again.

Once I was standing by the helm, I couldn't stand still. I paced around, shooting Barbossa murderous looks every few seconds. Barbossa must still have thought that Nerissa was dead. He smiled right back at me and said nothing about Nerissa.

Theodore stepped over next to me when Barbossa wasn't looking. He searched my eyes and asked, "What happened?"

"He raped her multiple times," I whispered. "She's alive, but barely. I put her in some water and that seems to be helping her recover. I'm still worried about her though. What if she dies?"

"I highly doubt she's going to do that," Theodore replied steadily. "If she's lived this long, she should be fine. What about her emotional well being?"

"Her what?" I asked, slightly distracted as I thought of Nerissa lying all alone in her tank below decks.

"Her emotional status," Theodore replied. "How is she feeling and acting?"

"Well, she's half-dead!" I said a-matter-of-factly. "She can't do much."

"Is she scared of you?" Theodore asked, raising an eyebrow.

Before I could reply, loud clunks sounded from behind us. We both looked up to see Barbossa staring at us with narrowed eyes. Damn. I was very inclined to go and push him over the edge of the ship.

"Lieutenants, if ye cannot keep to yer duties, I be goin' to have to make one of ye a deckhand," Barbossa said.

"Sorry, Sir," Theodore said since there was no way I was going to apologize to Barbossa. "This will not happen again."

We were both forced to go back to our duties. The day seemed very long and we couldn't find another chance to talk. When I was finally dismissed, I practically flew down the stairs and to my cabin. I fumbled with the lock and burst inside. Nerissa was lying on her side in the tank, obviously sleeping. I sighed with relief and sat on my bed.

I thought a bit about what Theodore had asked. What would happen to our relationship now? Would Nerissa be scared of me? Would it be awkward between us? I sighed to myself and vowed to kill Barbossa if he had ruined our bond. It was nothing more than he deserved. He was cruel, vile, and sadistic.

The next few weeks went by in the same manner. Nerissa kept to her tank and didn't really talk to me. She swam around sometimes and slept at others. Physically, she had healed quite well. Her body looked normal and the light was back into her eyes. That didn't mean she would talk to me. She never poked her head out of the water anymore.

A bit irritated at what had been going on, I decided to talk to Theodore. It was the end of the day and I was on my last shift. The stars were shining brightly above us and were casting a mystic glow on the ship. Barbossa had already retired to his cabin and we were allowed to talk in peace without worrying about him breathing down our necks.

"Theodore," I started out, stepping over next to my friend. "I'm worried about Nerissa."

"You're always worried about her," Theodore added, tossing me a half smile. "Did something happen between you two?"

"Not exactly," I said, wringing my hands together. "That's just it; nothing happens between us. We don't even talk."

"Hm..." Theodore mused. "She's been through a lot. She's probably scared and embarrassed about what happened. Have you tried to talk to her at all or have you just left her alone?"

Unsure if I had done the right thing or not, I replied hesitantly, "Well, I just left her alone. I didn't want to disturb her."

"I think that's where you're going wrong. Your mermaid probably wants comfort and someone to talk to, but she's too scared to ask for it by herself," Theodore explained.

I thought this over and supposed it made sense. Frowning, I asked, "So you think I should go talk to her?"

"I do," Theodore said with a firm nod. "If you want to get back together with her, you're going to have to talk."

Summoning up my courage, I nodded and said, "You're right as always. I suppose I will go talk to her now. Wish me luck."

Theodore smiled as I turned and nervously walked down the stairs to below the decks. I went straight to my cabin and hesitated outside the doorway. I wasn't sure how to go about talking to Nerissa. What should I talk to her about? What if I upset her in some way? Bloody hell, since when had talking to Nerissa become so hard?

Taking a deep breath, I pushed the door open and found Nerissa sitting on the bed. I blinked, not quite sure if I had seen her right. Nerissa never sat on the bed; she was always in the water these days. Nonetheless, there she was sitting on the bed with a sheet wrapped around her as a makeshift dress. I wondered why she was doing this. She hated her human form.

"Nerissa..." I started out slowly.

"Hello Gillette," Nerissa said evenly, not meeting my eyes. "Please sit by me."

I did as she told me to and sat on the bed next to her. I was careful to keep a bit of distance between us since Nerissa was known to get scared. Hesitating, I decided to let her be the one to speak first.

Gulping, Nerissa started out, "I would like to thank you for saving me. If it had not been for you, I would've died."

"I would never let you die," I replied quickly. My hand reached out to hold hers, but I managed to withdraw it before I touched her flesh. I wasn't sure how Nerissa would react to someone touching her. I did notice that she looked sad when I pulled my hand away.

"I...I'm sorry," Nerissa burst out, suddenly upset and choking. "I didn't mean to make your life so difficult. I wanted to save you, and instead, I made you save me. I'm so sorry..."

I obviously hadn't been reading into Nerissa's emotions well. I hadn't had any idea that she was on a verge of a mental breakdown. Still unsure of whether or not I could touch her, I held my hand out so she could take it if she wanted to or could otherwise ignore it. Nerissa glanced at my hand and put hers in mine.

Before I knew it, she was on my lap and was choking into my chest. She choked instead of cried when she was upset. I had learned that. Knowing that she didn't hold any grudges against me, I cuddled her and kissed her forehead.

"I love you, Nerissa," I murmured into her hair.

"I love you too, more than you could know," Nerissa replied.

That was when I knew I had my mermaid back.

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_Review? :)  
_


	28. Finally & Paradise

_Hi everyone! Is it just me, or do you guys hate surprises too? I had to suffer through a surprise party, and god, I hate those. I dunno, I'm not good socially or something. =P Ahem. I'm SO off topic here. This is in Nerissa's POV._

_**CharlieCats: **Yes, thanks for reading that fic! Also, I'm sorry about the Groves fic. I got a few bad comments and that washes my inspiration away completely. I'm way too sensitive. Like if I got a few bad comments on this, I'd probably stop writing it. *rolls eyes* Well, I thought Barbossa was okay in CotBP and AWE, but ugh, I hated him in OST. I mean, I think it's incredibly selfish to get your whole crew (including my Grovesy and Gillette) killed just so you can have revenge on someone for mutilating your leg. I mean, it's not even like he died. Ugh. Sorry, I rant a LOT. =P I'm glad you liked the chapter and hope you keep reading!_

_**Annabeth-Kahlan-Alanna-Cara: **Hopefully, soon! He doesn't seem to realize that's what he has to do. lol_

**_Sithlord8665: _**_Aw, thanks for saying that. :3 I hope you like this one too!_

_**Lady Sybelle: **I know, their reunion is so cute, isn't it? *squee* I'm really happy with how Gillette/Nerissa came out. I thought this fic might be way ooc or something. *applauds* Nice line you created. XD About the romantic part...just read this chapter to find out. *smirks*_

_**Kat: **Hey, I actually started using your name. lol Glad you liked the chapter! Yup, 13 to go now! :) *hugs Damian as well* He can never have too many hugs, you know? Yes, I did! Don't you love it? I love your pic, thanks again! *hugs*_

_**12DEHD: **LOL, but if I write until my fingers fall off, that means no more stories! :( But I will write a lot more once I get through with surprise parties. *makes a face* I just realized that I write like 3 hours a day. :O Thanks for reading!_

_**RWolfe94: **I totally agree with you about the break from reality thing. That's actually the only reason why I started writing and am still writing. lol I hope you keep reading! ;3_

_**Romeondjuliet4-ever: **Hey, it's totally okay! *lots of hugs* I TOTALLY know how school shit is. I hate it. *grumbles* Don't feel like you have to read this or anything. :P I know you're busy and how your parents are. I hope everything is going well for you. :)_

_**Rabiosa: **Yes, evil Barbossa! Lol, are you the one who left the reviews from yesterday? I try to learn how my readers are. Thanks for your review! :D_

_**AsininityJackal: **I know, right? Great idea about the giant oyster. Now where to get one? *thinks* Why thank you! That makes me feel nice. :) And OMG, HAPPY BIRTHDAY! :D Are you doing anything fun for it? Lol, my birthday is in a few days too. I know a lot of people with end of June/early July birthdays. =P Hope you have an amazing day! I'd get you something...but I dunno what to get. :(_

_**Moviac: **Lol, I might have dragged this out a bit basically because I didn't want the story to end. =P You'll see what happens next in this chapter, although I doubt you'd like it much, so you could probably just read the last two sentence since it summarizes the whole thing._

* * *

**Chapter XXVII**

_Oh how could I have known_  
_That all my life I only needed you?_  
_Oh..._  
_Almost paradise!_  
_We're knocking on Heaven's door._  
_Almost paradise!_  
_How could we ask for more?_

It felt so good to be in Gillette's arms again. It had been so hard to stay away from him. Yet I had been embarrassed, ashamed, and perhaps a bit scared. I had finally pushed all of those feelings aside and was now back with my lover again. I hadn't treated him so nicely lately and figured I should apologize.

"Gillette?" I murmured, reaching out and tracing the collar of his white shirt.

"Yes, Nerissa?" Gillette asked me. His hand rubbed lightly over my back, relaxing me and making me feel safe.

"I'm sorry of the way I've behaved lately," I told him. "I'm sorry for not talking to you. I was ashamed."

"There's no need for apologies," Gillette said soothingly. "I love you. It doesn't matter what you say or do. I'll always try and protect you. I promise."

"It was horrible that night," I said, returning to that fateful day in my head. "Barbossa was-"

Gillette cut off my sentence and said, "You don't have to tell me about this, Nerissa. I don't need to hear about it unless you want to talk about it. If you want to, of course I'll listen. I just don't want you getting hurt again..."

"It's just a memory," I replied. "A memory cannot hurt me. I will not allow it to. It was horrible though. All of it was a fight for dominance. It was Barbossa showing that he could crush me. Even if I would not give him the tear, he would come out on top in the end. I think he wished to end my life, but you saved me. For that, I am eternally in your debt."

"My debt?" Gillette asked in surprise. "No. If it weren't for me, you would never have gotten trapped here to begin with."

"No, I marked you. I made you mine," I protested stubbornly. I turned my lips down in a pout, determined to win the argument.

Gillette just looked at me for a few minutes. His eyes devoured the upper half of my body. Reaching forward and tucking my hair behind my shoulder, Gillette murmured, "You're so beautiful when you're upset."

"I'm not upset," I quickly interjected. "I'm not sure whether to take that as a compliment or not. Oh, Gillette..."

"Hm?" Gillette asked, not noticing the yearning in my eyes. I wanted to be close to him right now and bathed in his love. My body had healed after Barbossa's assault and I was ready to start over new.

"Just kiss me already, won't you?" I begged, searching his deep brown eyes with my green ones.

I didn't have to ask him twice. A hand wrapped around my waist and another hand tilted my chin up. I closed my eyes and parted my lips as I felt Gillette's warmth come down on them. Our kisses were soft and sweet, yet were fueled by lots of passion and love. We did love each other. It was as clear as daylight to anyone who looked at us.

I wasn't usually the dominate one, but I felt Gillette was letting me take control as I slipped my tongue over his smooth lips. He instantly parted them for me and allowed my tongue to slip inside his mouth and rest on top of his own tongue. Gillette's body was still so much warmer than mine. Heat was building up between us. It was sizzling and crackling, building its own fire.

My mind suddenly was wiped blank of anything but the raging passion between us. I forgot about Barbossa, about being tortured and abused, and the fact that I was a mermaid and Gillette a man. In the moment, it didn't matter. We loved each other and that canceled out all other emotions.

Our lips were still pressed together as I wrapped both of my arms around Gillette's waist. I fell backwards on the sheets and pulled him down on top of me. I hesitantly pulled the sheet covering my body away and sent Gillette a message with my eyes.

He didn't respond to it very well. He broke off our kiss and panted, "'Rissa...we have to stop..."

Stop? I didn't think so. My body was growing warm and prickly. Something was stirring deep within me. I needed Gillette and I believed deep inside that he needed me too.

"Why?" I asked simply, staring up into his eyes and hooking a leg around his waist so that he couldn't get too far away. I found I wasn't embarrassed of my body in front of Gillette. He found me pretty because he loved me, not actually because I was pretty.

"Remember what happened to you?" Gillette pressed. "You're still hurt. Please Nerissa."

He unwrapped my leg from around his waist and pressed kisses to my calves. That wasn't exactly helping the situation. Heat boiled up inside my core and I felt an ache coming from my center.

"I'm not hurt anymore," I quickly explained. "I am over it. Mermaids heal very quickly, perhaps twice the speed of you humans. I don't want to be scared of love the rest of my life. You're the only one who can get me over this phobia."

"You're completely certain about this?" Gillette asked dubiously.

I nodded and reached up to him. I pulled him back down to me and started kissing his jawline incessantly. Gillette gently explored the curves of my naked body. Both of us were tender with each other despite the heat and passion that was raging within both of us. How we kept control of ourselves was something I didn't know.

Clothes didn't seem able to come off fast enough. I helped Gillette undress, dumping his clothes onto the floor without much concern to where they landed. My legs parted automatically as Gillette pressed hot, open-mouthed kisses over my thigh. The ache within me grew and I was just dying to be touched. Gillette's tongue couldn't move fast enough. I squirmed as I felt myself becoming uncomfortably wet.

Gillette finally brought his lips to my intimate parts and helped to clean up my stickiness. It didn't do much good since I just grew wetter as he continued to touch me around that area. I didn't relate this sexual experience at all with what Barbossa had done to me. Gillette was gentle and loving. Barbossa had jeered and tried to embarrass me the whole time.

Gillette rubbed over my slit before coming to rest on top of me. He was so warm and heavy, but it felt good. Gillette hesitated, so I adjusted positions so that our intimate parts were touching. The sensation was almost too good. We both bit our lips to keep from moaning from the pleasure.

Gillette pressed a trail of kisses up my neck and murmured, "Are you alright with this?"

I answered his question with my eyes and twined my arms around his neck. Gillette locked gazes with me before gliding into my body. I didn't feel any pain this time. Gillette and I fit together as if we were two halves of one being. My inner parts weren't stretching or breaking as he fulfilled me.

A few noises that I didn't know I was capable of making slipped out of my mouth as we fused together. Gillette searched my face quickly before starting to thrust within me. The bed was not too happy with our actions and groaned with each thrust. My warmth thrummed with pleasure as Gillette explored deeper and deeper within me.

"God...please..." I begged, wishing he would go a little bit quicker. Muscles within me were tightening and small explosions seemed to be going off inside me. Trying to get my plea across to Gillette, I lifted my hips and started to move with him.

"Nerissa..." Gillette moaned as I joined in the dance of debauchery. I rolled my hips into Gillette's at an angle perfect for him to stroke a special place in my body. My breath was completely snatched away from me as my muscles contracted one last time before the knot inside me released and I surrendered to my lover.

I found myself in a bubble of golden happiness and delight as Gillette gave a few more thrusts to my core. He released a moment later, flooding my body with delicious warmth. He laid on top of me, panting and beautiful. I had tucked my legs around him while we had intercourse and even now I kept them wrapped around him.

The afterglow lasted for quite a few moments while the two of us panted and calmed our racing hearts. Thrum, thrum, thrum... I could feel Gillette's heartbeat syncing with mine. We kept our bodies connected for quite some time, neither of us wanting to end this moment. Gillette was warm and slick on top of me, but I didn't mind.

After a few moments, I leaned up and kissed his mouth, mumbling, "I'm glad we did that."

"You're amazing," Gillette said in a weak voice, still trying to capture his breath.

"So are you," I murmured as we rolled onto our sides, Gillette still within me. He started to pull out, but I stopped him and said, "Don't. I want this moment to last forever. You never know what happy moment may be your last."

Little did I know that this happy moment could indeed be my last.

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_Review? :) Also, I'd really like to write another mermaid story after this, but I'm lacking ideas. If anyone has any suggestions or ideas, you can PM me or tell them to me in your reviews. I would REALLY appreciate it. :) ...oh god, I just realized I had a grammar error! Sorry guys. :(  
_


	29. Last Happy Moment

_Hi guys! I'm feeling a little out of it today, so no terrible reviews please. Have you ever had one of those days where you feel you just woke up on the wrong side of the bed? I think I did that because I stepped in cat puke and it's only gotten worse from there. Ahem. You don't need to hear about that, do you? Anyways, here we go again. I know this is a pointless chapter, but I was having writer's block so..._

**_Knight Mistress: _**_Thanks! I think they're cute too. _

_**SgtPeppersLonelyHearts: **Aw, thank you. Do you really think it's getting better? I've gotten a lot of bad reviews lately and sometimes I feel like my writing is REALLY pointless, you know?_

_**CharlieCats: **Thanks. Well...um...I kinda deleted it. *hides* Yes, that's how seriously I take bad reviews! I'm crazy, I know. And I do agree with you about Barbossa. I think it's way overboard to do all of that just for your honor and the Pearl, but that's just my opinion. I didn't mind it so much when Jack tried to kill Barbossa, how about you? =P Haha, you can talk about it as if it's real life with me. I blab about it 24/7 and no, I'm not joking. I usually know what's going on (I snoop with everything...including my mother's email =P), but for once I didn't. Ugh, hate surprises. :(_

_**Lady Sybelle: **Did you like it then? *looks hopeful* Well, I was still going to write about Gillette...=P And ooo, did you download the song? :)_

_**Flik: **That's totally okay! Thanks for still reading though. How have you been? :)_

_**Romeondjuliet4-ever: **School is awful, isn't it? I think we should banish it along with our parents to planet Mom. =P We should talk more today! I'm actually working on charging my phone! What a miracle, huh? lol_

_**AsininityJackal: **Yay, I'm so glad you had a good day! How was talking to the Sherlock characters? :) And lucky you for getting a laptop! I want a new one. Well, hopefully my b-day well get better after stepping in the cat puke...*rolls eyes* _

_**(): **Thanks for the review. Um, I do think I gave warnings about sex/rape so I'm not really sure what you mean. Also, I find part of what you're saying as personal opinion. There are a lot of smut stories out there and I'm a teenager too and so yeah...=/ This isn't really an "innocent" story, so if you don't like it, I wouldn't read it because it only gets worse from here._

* * *

**Chapter XXVIII**

_(I have to get off so I hope you don't miss the song lyrics...lol)_

Gillette and I slept a long time. We had both tired each other out and were now exhausted. I hadn't slept so well for a long time. When I finally woke up, I felt rested and at peace with the world. Looking over, I saw Gillette was lying next to me, still sleeping. A little bit of drool was running out of the corner of his mouth and his chest rose and fell rhythmically.

Seeing no reason for either of us to get up, I yawned and then cuddled against Gillette. He smelled delicious and I found my tongue running down the center of his chest. Gillette continued to sleep, but I could hear his heartbeats pick up.

Deciding to have some fun with him, I lightly rolled him over onto his back. Gillette flopped limply into a supine position, still quite asleep. Smirking, I crawled around his body and sat at his feet. I just watched him for a few minutes. He looked so carefree and beautiful when he was sleeping. He had not a concern in the world.

He was also too delectable to leave alone. Wondering how long I could play with him before he woke up, I ran my fingertips from his hipbone all the way down his thigh to his knee. Deciding to risk it, I slipped a hand between his legs and eased them apart. I dropped onto my stomach and started running my tongue up his inner thigh.

Gillette mumbled something in his sleep as I continued touching him. I nuzzled his groin gently, and that was enough to make him wake up. I watched him moan and open his eyes sleepily. He looked around and when he didn't see me, he said my name in a worried voice, "Nerissa? Where are you?"

"Down here," I said innocently, popping up from between his legs.

Gillette rolled his eyes and sat up, mumbling, "What are you doing down there?"

I made no reply to him and just watched him look me over. I locked eyes with him and ran my hands through my hair, piling it on top of my head. Gillette's eyes went straight to my breasts. It was funny how he tried to keep his control around me. I decided to tempt him until he fell for me. Yes, I was a teaser when it came to my lover.

"How are you this morning?" Gillette asked as if we were having a casual morning chat.

"Never better," I replied. "And you?"

Gillette tried to take his eyes off my chest and focus on something else. His eyes finally came to rest on something behind me. Finally, he replied, "Just fine, but I'd much rather stay here with you than go perform my duties."

Pretending to stretch, I parted my legs and reached for my toes. Following his gaze from earlier, I asked, "What are you looking at?"

"How did my breeches did all the way across the room?" Gillette asked in confusion, trying to keep his eyes off me as I slipped my tongue out of my mouth and ran it over my lips. "I suppose I ought to dress..."

Gillette started to get up, but I stopped him and took his arm, fluttering my eyelashes at him. I simpered, "Where are you going? Don't you think you could stay with me just a bit longer? Barbossa can wait."

Gillette watched me running my hand up and down his arm. He hesitated and replied, "I suppose I can stay a few more moments, but you're going to have to stop doing that, alright?"

I looked up at him innocently and asked, "Stop doing what?"

Gillette leaned against the wall with his legs crossed and said, "You know exactly what I mean."

"Do I?" I asked, crawling across the bed and sitting on his lap.

Finally understanding that I was actually doing this on purpose, Gillette looked at me dubiously and asked, "You want to do this again already? We just woke up. Aren't you tired?"

"Slightly," I said with a shrug, not really caring if I was tired or not.

Gillette hesitated for another few minutes before he shrugged and said, "Alright, but you have to get off of mefor a moment."

I quickly climbed off of his lap and let him kneel before me. I waited and let Gillette pull me against him and wrap both my legs around his waist. I could feel his warmth pressing against me as we adjusted positions. Swinging my hair out of my face, I leaned forwards and pressed a soft kiss on Gillette's cheek.

Gillette looked up at me in surprise, obviously surprised I could be gentle when I was playing dirty with him. His hands ran down my curves and rested on my hips as he murmured, "Are you alright with doing it this way?"

Liking the idea of doing this differently, I nodded and slowly adjusted myself so that I took part of him into my body. It wasn't painful at all. There was a bit of pressure inside, but it felt more good than bad. I sank all the way down, taking Gillette completely into my body. My nipples brushed against Gillette's chest, causing butterflies of pleasure to be aroused within me.

I felt light-headed as I wrapped my arms around his waist and held him to me. I panted heavily against Gillette's cheek and shifted positions, trying to get comfortable. Gillette bit his lip as I adjusted. His hands clenched around my hipbones in a tight grip as he suddenly thrust up into me.

I gasped aloud and dug my nails into Gillette's back. He made a low moan and continued pressing into me. I moved my hand slightly and found that blood was dripping from his back from where my nails had dug into him.

"Sorry," I whispered, making sure I didn't dig my nails that hard into him again.

Gillette didn't reply, but kissed me gently to show that he didn't mind. Wanting to participate in this dance as old as time, I started to move with him. All sensibility was cleared from my mind as the assault went on. My lungs seemed to have disappeared and all I could do was gasp for breath as my mind spun around in bleary circles.

Gillette continued the steady rhythm as he leaned forwards to rub at my pebbled nipples. He traced the aching nubs and then starting nibbling the darkened bud, causing me to cry out his name. I hadn't made much noise during our lovemaking last night, but I couldn't help it this morning. Moans and groans slipped out of my mouth again and again.

Gillette's hands explored my upper half, rubbing and caressing my tender skin. Muscles twisted and protested inside me as Gillette ran his hands over my belly and sides. I forgot to move with Gillette and just let his warmth throb within me while I regained my strength. A few moments later, I started rolling my hips into Gillette's again.

Both of us were near to releasing. Gillette tugged on my breasts, continuing to drive me wild. Wanting to reciprocate the treatment, I let my hands travel down his lower back to his rear and started fondling it gently.

We were both creating lovemaking whimpers and moans as we climbed up to the apex. Our lips automatically slipped together as we came simultaneously. It felt so good to have Gillette release into the velvety warmth within me. We sucked away each other's cries as we kissed intimately, chests rising and falling rapidly.

When we finally had to part for breath, I mumbled, "You're so beautiful."

Panting, Gillette grabbed his clothes and gave me a suspicious look saying, "Beautiful when I'm sweaty and a mess? I'm not so sure about that."

"Believe me, you are," I whispered, staring up at him as he dressed.

After Gillette had dressed, he came to the bed and kissed my mouth and picked me up, laying me back into the water as he said, "You rest. You need it. I need to go up on deck before Barbossa wonders what I'm up to. I'll come for you soon."

I nodded as my legs started to come together and shimmer as they formed my tail. I zipped around happily in my tank and gave Gillette a little splash as he left the room. This was the last happy moment I ever had with him.

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_Review? :)  
_


	30. Your Life or Hers

_Hello all! *waves* How are you this morning? I'm doing not so well...I ended up having a food fight with my parents and it was NOT fun. I have cream cheese all over me mainly because I'm too lazy to clean it up. *rolls eyes* Anyways, we're back to Gillette's POV. Sorry if this chapter is crap, I'm kinda distracted right now._

_**Beckettfangirl: **Yep, last happy moment. *sadface* I agree with you about Barbossa. Hey, are we going to get another chappie today from you, btw? :)_

_**Charliecats: **Thank you so much for saying that! I totally needed to hear something like that this morning. OMG, I totally get the typing a word a day thing. Do you get distracted when you're online easily? I'll be writing one minute and then I'll be on youtube the next. lol_

_**Sithlord8665: **Sorry about that, I tend to rant. =P You'll hear about it soon!_

_**Lady Sybelle: **I hate that too. And thanks so much! Hehe, I wake up super earily every morning. I try to get up at 4 and daydreaming until 6...weird, I know. =P Hehe, thanks for the pic! Well, yeah, I've been busy and just haven't felt myself, you know? But I'll try to keep uploading._

_**Kat: **Thank you for saying that! Sometimes I feel like everything is pointless and all, you know? Ugh, I'm sounding so...weird. Ahem. Yeah, it's their last happy moment, but this is a tragedy and all..._

_**12DEHD: **I think you should change some of the words then if you're the one typing it up...*winks* Aw, so why can't you write a chapter? I think you should write at least one. What's the story about at the moment, btw? :)_

_**Flik: **Yay, glad you liked it! I do know what's been going on and I'll email you soon once I stop feeling like shit. *sighs* I'm not a morning person as you can tell. lol _

_**AsininityJackal: **Lol, funny you say that because I was all like "Never heard of them". =P Okay, I will try to watch it once. =P That can be your b-day present. XD_

_**Rachina: **Yeah, you're probably right. I've been too lazy to get around to that yet..._

* * *

**Chapter XXIX**

_I admit that in the past I've been a nasty_  
_They weren't kidding when they called me, well, a witch_  
_But you'll find that nowadays_  
_I've mended all my ways_  
_Repented, seen the light and made a switch_  
_True? Yes_

I took a few steps down the hallway to the stairs that led to the upper deck. Once I was about halfway there, I paused and realized that there was something I wanted to say to Nerissa. It couldn't wait. It had to be said now. Taking a deep breath, I turned around and came back the way I had come. I popped the door open and stepped inside.

Nerissa was still swimming around in circles. When she saw me, she stuck her head up out of the water and grinned at me. Her teeth were pearly white and her lips were so red. She was beautiful.

"Well that was fast," Nerissa commented, slipping out of the water and sitting on the edge of her tank. Her tail quickly parted into two legs that she dangled from the ledge of her tank. She squeezed the water out of her hair, causing little water droplets to run down her body and drip from her nipples. Nerissa was so distracting that I temporarily forgot what I was going to say.

"I'm not done with my duties," I finally explained. "But there's something that I have to ask you..."

"Yes?" Nerissa asked, looking puzzled.

Feeling nervous and suddenly doubting myself, I hesitated. Nerissa was looking at me, waiting for me to say something. I had to say something now. Hoping I wasn't going to regret this, I dropped to my knees in front of her and met her eyes. Clearing my throat, I said, "I know you're a mermaid and I'm a human and all that, but I don't think that's any reason for us not to be together. Nerissa, I love you more than I've ever loved anyone before. Will you marry me?"

Nerissa's emerald eyes became huge and she looked speechless. I had never seen Nerissa speechless before. I nervously searched her eyes, wondering if maybe I had said something wrong.

"You want to marry...me?" Nerissa said in a weak voice, her eyes still searching mine as if she thought I was joking.

I nodded, feeling awkward, "I do, but if you don't want to, I completely understand..."

"No," Nerissa said, "That's not it at all. I just can't believe this..."

I watched her nervously, fiddling with my hands. What part of this couldn't she believe? Was this the longest rejection ever or something else? I watched her stare at me, thinking that her answer was no.

"Well, I'll just...uh...go then. There's no need to get into trouble," I mumbled, taking a step towards the door.

Nerissa narrowed her eyes and grabbed my wrist with her sharp nails. Ouch. She didn't realize how sharp her nails were. Whenever she grabbed me, she ripped my flesh accidentally. Already, there was blood dripping from my wrist. Not noticing it, Nerissa frowned at me and said, "So you propose to me and then you leave? What kind of way is that to treat someone?"

"You never answered me..." I said, tears of pain filling my eyes as I tried to get her to let go of my wrist.

"Oh goodness, do I really need to answer you? You should know me better than this! My answer is yes. I've loved you so long. It's been eight years now," Nerissa said, leaning up and kissing me.

The pain in my wrist completely vanished. My arms were already around Nerissa and holding her to me. I searched her eyes and asked, "Yes? You'll actually marry me? Oh god, Nerissa, I love you."

"Of course I will, silly," Nerissa said, grinning up at me. "There's just a few problems though. How are we suppose to marry when we're trapped on this ship? I want to live with you somewhere far away from here and Barbossa."

Nerissa did have a point. I wanted to marry her and live with her, spending my life doing everything I could for her. I couldn't do any of that when I was supposedly helping Barbossa sail to the Fountain of Youth. Hm, I supposed I had my work cut out for me. Somehow, I would have to figure out how to get us out of here.

"If we take the ship, we could go back to Port Royal..." I mused aloud.

"How would you take the ship?" Nerissa asked, distracting me as she ran her hand over the nape of my neck and her tongue along my jaw. There was something about her that made her completely irresistible.

"There's not many ways to do that," I pointed out. "I can attempt to come up with something though..."

"Will you?" Nerissa asked, looking joyful. "You'd do that for me? Oh, I love you so much."

We kissed hot and heavily. Nerissa pushed me back on the bed, but I couldn't love her again. I was already very late for my duties. I gently pushed Nerissa off of me and murmured, "I can't, darling. I have to go. I'll be back soon and I promise you that we'll find a way out of this."

Nerissa nodded and watched me leave. When she glanced over at something across the room, I slipped the knife on the desk into my pocket. I was forming a plan. It wasn't a good one, but something had to happen. Soon.

I finally made my way out of the cabin and up the stairs to the upper deck. When Theodore saw me, he waved me over to him frantically. Barbossa was standing at the opposite side of the ship with his back to us. Thank god for that. If he had noticed my absence, I would be in quite a bit of trouble.

"What have you been doing?" Theodore hissed when I stepped up next to him. "The captain asked me about you twice. I said you were sick to your stomach, but I can't keep this lying going much longer. Oh dear, he's looking at you. Pretend like you're doing something useful instead of chatting to me."

Seeing that Barbossa was indeed staring at me, I random started tugging on some ropes nearby to look like I was doing something. Clunk, clunk, clunk. Oh no, he was coming over and there was no escape.

"Mr. Gillette," Barbossa said loudly. "Why have ye been neglectin' yer duties?"

"I was feeling ill, Sir," I told him defensively.

"Oh?" Barbossa asked, raising a brow suspiciously. "Then I suppose I should go down to yer cabin and see if someone needs to clean it up, aye?"

Damn. My conversations with Barbossa never went well. I couldn't even listen when he was speaking since I hated him so much for what he had done to my fiance. Knowing I had to make up something, I said, "No, Sir, that won't be necessary."

Barbossa leaned towards me in a dominating manner and whispered coldly, "Ye weren't sick, Mr. Gillette. Don't ye dare try and fool me. I know better. Ye are to be stripped of yer Lieutenant title and I expect better work from ye in the future."

I stared at Barbossa with eyes wider than saucers. He was going to strip me of my title? That was preposterous! I had been given the title of Lieutenant a decade ago. He couldn't just take the title away since he didn't like me...right? Unfortunately, he could do just that. I was left in a stunned silence as Barbossa clunked away. As soon as he was gone, I edged back to Theodore.

"Theo!" I hissed. "Barbossa just demoted me."

"He...what?" Theodore asked in surprise.

"He demoted me!" I said in shock and indignation. "He can't do that, can he? I can't lose my job, I can't-"

Theodore broke off my sentence and said, "Please calm down, Gillette. We can talk to the king about this when we get back from our mission. I'm certain he'll promote you once again."

"When we get back? Don't you get it? We're not going to get back," I explained a bit frantically. "This is an endless mission. There is no Fountain of Youth. Barbossa probably just wants to get us all killed.

"I highly doubt that," Theodore said with a frown. "There has to be a reason that he brought us on this mission. He's obviously after something. It's most likely the fountain, but I've been having my doubts lately."

"Yes, me too," I said, glaring at Barbossa's back. "Theodore...I want him dead."

"Well, I think we all do, but..." Theodore's eyes widened when he realized that I was actually being serious. He grabbed my shoulders and looked me in the eye, saying, "Gillette, you don't mean that. You cannot kill the captain!"

"Yes, Theo, I can," I said, glaring at Barbossa. Anger at him sizzled through my veins as I continued, "He's sending us on an endless mission, he raped my fiance multiple times and left her for dead, he demoted me, and who knows what he'll do next?"

"I understand what you're saying, but you cannot kill him. What would King George say? What about the rest of the crew? You would be in so much trouble when we return to England," Theodore protested.

"I'll worry about it when it comes," I replied. "But if you're just going to try and stop me, don't bother. I've made up my mind."

Theodore gave me one last look and then went back to his station. The rest of the day went by agonizingly slow. Was it ever going to end? I felt in my pocket just to make sure the knife was still there. Finally, night fell and Barbossa went clunking down to his cabin. Now was my chance. I could take it or leave it. I chose to take it.

Ignoring the look that Theodore was giving me, I crept down the stairs to below decks as quietly as I could until I stood in front of Barbossa's cabin door. I took a deep breath and braced myself for what I was about to do. I wasn't going to regret it. Barbossa deserved to die for what he had done to Nerissa. She and I could never truly be happy until he was dead.

I creaked the door to Barbossa's cabin open. He was facing away from me and was standing by the window. I took a few silent steps forwards, took a deep breath, raised the knife, and then...

"The knife will serve ye no better than yer excuse from earlier," Barbossa said, spinning around and grabbing my hand with the knife.

Damn! I was caught. What now? I wasn't sure what to say or do. I just stood silently in front of him and wondered what was going to happen next. Would he kill me here on the spot?

"So tell me, what were ye planning to do?" Barbossa said, fixing me with an evil glint in his eye.

"I...I was coming to visit Nerissa," I said in a weak voice, coming up with the only excuse I could think of.

"Oh?" Barbossa asked for the second time, obviously distrusting me. "So what were ye doin' with that knife then? Ye were going to kill her or stab her?"

"I..." I started out, trying to come up with an excuse. I couldn't come up with something, and so I said simply, "Yes."

Barbossa smirked at me and then said, "Ye know as well as me that Nerissa isn't here. She be in yer cabin."

"I...what...no!" I stammered, wondering how Barbossa had figured out that Nerissa was still alive. He had thought she was dead.

Barbossa laughed and replied, "I heard ye and yer mermaid this mornin'. Yer cabin is right across from mine. Now let's go to yer cabin and do what ye were goin' to do." Barbossa pulled a pistol out of his pocket and said, "It be yer life or hers. Choose."

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_Review? :)  
_


	31. Murder

_Hello all! I'm in a hurry this morning, so sorry if this is short. Happy 4th of July, btw. :) This is in Nerissa's POV._

**_Flik: _**_Hehe, yes, we should be bridesmaids! Omg, I have the same thing with my arms though. I'm ALWAYS wearing sweatshirts. lol_

_**CharlieCats: **Lol, who would you rather have die? And aw, thanks. You're so nice with the compliments. Ooo, I get that same way with music or the TV. Sometimes I get the people reading my stories are probably like wtf? =P_

_**Sithlord8665: **Here's the next chapter! :D_

**_Annabeth-Kahlan-Alanna-Cara: _**_I know, I was thinking the same thing! Why is Gillette not smarter? :(_

**_12DEHD: _**_I haven't read those, but it sounds pretty interesting. OMG, I hate redoing drafts, don't you? I don't think I've ever redone one for a fic. =P Hehe, your role sounds cool! And yay for getting a girlfriend. I don't think I'd put myself in a story unless I got to mess around with some navy boy. lol_

**_Lady Sybelle: _**_Hehe, were you expecting the proposal? :) I think Barbossa should die too. lol_

**_Rabiosa: _**_You're right! Thanks so much for reading! :3_

**_Kat: _**_Omg, you're very right about the wedding. =P I swear you can read my mind. Good idea about the voodoo doll! *grabs sharp knife from the kitchen* lol And aw, thanks for saying that! I hope you like this chapter..._

_**Knight Mistress: **Yes, let's hope he gets out of the situation! And aw, thanks! I'm so glad you like my crap. =P_

* * *

**Chapter XXX**

I was happy. Not often in my life had I been happy or even satisfied. As a young mermaid, I had always believed that there was something else out there for me. Eight years ago, I had met Gillette and had figured out what that "something else" was. It had taken us a while to come together. Only last night had we ripped down all the barriers and were now to marry. I still couldn't believe Gillette had asked me to marry him. That was my dream come true. There was nothing more that I wanted.

I was daydreaming and swimming around my cage happily when I heard the creak of the door. A little shiver or excitement ran through me. It was about time Gillette came back. I immediately poked my head out of the water and waited. I was surprised when he didn't come in right away. He didn't usually take so long to open a door.

Finally, Gillette appeared. I could tell immediately that something wasn't quite right with him. His pale face was paper white and his deep brown eyes were blocked. I couldn't read their emotions.

"Gillette?" I asked, looking up at him in concern. "Are you alright? What's wrong?"

There was a silence. I noticed Gillette was hiding his hands behind his back. I also noticed another set of footsteps...or should I say footstep? Barbossa stood in the doorway and smirked down at me.

"Gillette, what's going on?" I asked him as I stared at Barbossa in wide-eyed fear.

"Yer Gillette is here to tell ye how he really feels about ye," Barbossa said. I noticed a pistol in his hand that was pointed in Gillette's direction. Barbossa turned to Gillette and raised his eyebrows as he added, "Well? Go on, lad."

"Gillette, what...?" I asked, not understanding.

Gillette bit down on his lip and whipped his hand out from behind his back. All I could see was a flash of silver before I felt pain exploding in my chest. I screamed. I couldn't help it. Agony rippled throughout my body, engulfing it in blanket of pain. Vision swimming, I looked down to see a knife in my right breast. Blood poured down my body and started pooling in my tank, turning the water blood red.

My eyes went to Gillette's. His eyes were unreadable and a bit glazed. Barbossa smirked and pushed Gillette towards the door, saying, "I'll take her from here. Go help Mr. Groves on deck."

Gillette walked out and I watched him with horror and realization dawning on my face. I wasn't aware of Barbossa hauling my tank out of Gillette's room and sticking it in an empty cabin. He left, and yet, I didn't watch him leave. All my emotions were focused on what had just happened. It was as if I was stunned. I couldn't think, feel, or breathe. All I could do was relive the scene that had just taken place over and over again in my mind.

Realizing that I was going to die unless I got the knife out of my chest, I forced myself to break out of my trance and pay attention to the situation at hand. Taking a deep breath, I grabbed the knife with shaking hands. I screamed again from the pain, but this time I was underwater so nobody could hear my cries of distress.

I finally got the knife out of my breast and tossed it out of the tank. It clattered noisily to the ground before leaving me in a thick silence. All I could hear was my labored breathing. My water continued to turn darker red by the minute. Unable to see anymore, I emerged out of the water up to my shoulders.

Blood continued to flow from my chest. I had to get the bleeding to stop, but how? Frowning, I looked around for something to press to the wound. I couldn't see anything anywhere in this cabin. It was empty. Not a single thing was in the room besides for my tank. I couldn't help but wonder what this empty room was used for.

Regardless, that wasn't the main concern at the moment. I needed to stop the bleeding. That was what was first on my list. Since there wasn't anything around me to use to apply pressure to my wound, I used my hand and held it against my breast to stop the bleeding. It hurt to put my hand on my wound, but it was either doing this or dying.

As I attempted to calm the rapid beating of my heart, I tried to understand what had just happened. Gillette had stabbed me. How could he? He had just said that he loved me and didn't want anything to happen to me. What had he been trying to do? Was he making fun of me? Oh god, the pain was getting worse. I couldn't stress myself out right now.

I forced myself to sit quietly in my tank as the bleeding started to slow. Only when I thought I could handle it did I think about Gillette again. My heart ached whenever I thought of him. I now realized that this had all been a joke. A big, not-so-funny joke.

He had teased me and tried to win my affections. Then when he had finally gotten me to trust him, he took his knife and tried to run it through my heart. I was saddened beyond belief. If I could cry like a human could, I would've drowned in a puddle of tears. As it was, I could not cry and was forced to express my pain with choking and my heart breaking.

I suddenly realized just how silly I had been. Every human I had tried to trust had turned against me. Barbossa had told me he wanted to make me human when he really had just wanted to steal a tear from me. Good luck getting that tear now, bastard. I would never cry again. Secondly, there was Gillette who had feigned love to me and had then tried to break my heart

The pain in my chest throbbed and I found myself biting my lip to try and keep silent. It didn't work so well. Now I was tasting the metallic taste of blood in my mouth. I spat it out and glared at the bloody water that I was submerged in.

Suddenly, I remembered something. Marina had been through this exact thing. Her sailor had loved her, tricked her into sleeping with him, and then had tried to kill her. That was the exact same thing that had happened with Gillette and me. Well, there was a slight difference. We were both still alive. Marina's sailor had been dead.

As I ran these thoughts through my head, I changed. My heart grew hard and stony. Vengeance splashed through me, bathing me in my own blood red water. I was tired of everyone thinking that I was nothing but a harmless creature. I was tired of people playing with my emotions. Just because I was mermaid didn't mean that I didn't have feelings.

I got so caught up in my anger that I forgot about the pain emanating through my body. By the time night fell, I was no longer bleeding and the pain in my chest had lessened a considerable amount. All that ran through my mind was revenge. Now I could see why Marina had killed her sailor. We had both been teased, tricked, and betrayed in the worst ways possible.

My eyes darkened and I plotted. I wanted to show Gillette how much he had hurt me. I wanted to take his life. No longer did I care about my own life. I could die tonight for all I cared. I was much more interested in getting my revenge.

Since mermaids healed quickly, I found I had a bit of strength. I would use that strength to my advantage. Thankful that Barbossa had left the tank open, I forced myself over the edge and flopped onto the rotten floorboards. My tail flapped around agitatedly before it split and left me with two human-like legs.

I paid no attention to my legs. My eyes searched the ground for the knife Gillette had buried in my breast. Ah, there it was. I picked up the shiny weapon and smiled. Since I still couldn't stand, I crawled to the door, sat on my knees, and pushed the handle. The door opened silently and I crawled right out of it.

I knew exactly where Gillette's cabin was. Needless to say, I had been there quite a few times before. Continuing to crawl on my hands and knees, I made it to Gillette's cabin and turned the door handle. The door opened soundlessly.

Gillette was in bed. Good. I crawled to his bed and grabbed the headboard. I used it to haul myself up onto the bed. Creak! The headboard made a loud creaking sound. I stiffened and waited to see what Gillette would do. He did not wake. Now on the bed, I took a deep breath and crawled over to Gillette. I crouched between his legs and pressed my knife to his throat.

Gillette continued sleeping peacefully. It was obviously that he didn't know what was happening to him. I told myself to do what I had come here to do. The timing was perfect. Gillette was sleeping and I had a knife to his throat. I could slit his throat with one easy motion. I pressed the knife closer to his throat and watched a drop of blood pour down his neck.

As much as I wanted to, I couldn't slit his throat. Instead, I found myself pulling the sheet down to his waist. His torso was very naked. I flipped his arm over so his palm faced me. I pushed the knife into his flesh and started tracing patterns in his skin. Blood started pouring everywhere, but Gillette didn't wake.

... so I kept going. I cut up his left arm and then went to chest. I cut into his belly and watched crimson blood flowing everywhere. My lips curved up in a sadistic smile as I mutilated the body of my lover. Getting a bit carried away, I pulled the sheet down all the way and tossed the knife aside. I had all the weapons I needed. Stretching out my hand, I dug my nails into Gillette's thigh and ripped the flesh there. Warm blood trickled out around my fingers. I went to his opposite thigh and ripped it as well.

Gillette was whimpering in his sleep now despite the fact that he still wasn't waking up. His noises egged me on. Willing him to stay asleep, I tore my teeth into his groin. Gillette whimpered louder, but still didn't wake. I wondered if perhaps I was somehow making him stay asleep. It had crossed my mind before that we were connected and our feelings could influence the other's emotions.

Ruthless and on a killing mission, I reached down and clasped his sexual organ in my palm. It was strong and hard, yet covered with warm, soft flesh. I thought about ripping his genitals to pieces, but then my fuzzy mind cleared just a bit. What I was doing was quite sick. Gillette was already mutilated enough. The sheets were turning crimson and he was continued to whimper. He would soon die.

Supposing that I could leave now, I dropped back onto the floor and started crawling back to my own room. I made it into my cabin, but didn't have the strength to return to the water. Instead, I laid on the floor and waited to die.

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_Review? :)  
_


	32. Finally Free

_Hi everyone, how are you all today? Ugh, I'm having an awful morning, but I'll do you a favor and not tell you all about it. =P Here's another chapter from Nerissa's POV..._

_**Beckettfangirl: **Omg, yes, do a new chapter today! :D And lol for hiding behind Beckett. =P He is pretty short..._

_**CharlieCats: **Lol, twists are good, right? :P I get what you mean about Romeo and Juliet. I kinda think that one can't live without the other though...*hints* And I kinda explain the bit about Gillette in this chapter._

_**Sithlord8665:**Oh no, don't faint! But yeah, it is a bad situation..._

_**Lady Sybelle: **Hehe, I did say that nobody would predict my ending...*grins evilly* Well, it is a tragedy, so no happy endings..._

_**Kat: **Lol, you are psychic, aren't you? XD Let's hunt Barbossa down! hehe And you're right...it is sad how she thinks he wanted her dead...:(_

_**RWolfe94: **Yay, I'm glad you're still reading. I agree with you about stabbing her. Major no-no! D: Glad you're still liking it though..._

_**Flik: **Hehe, good idea about Mr. Theo! We all love him...=P But I do love my Fluffy more...*thinks about this*_

_**12DEHD: **I like your ideas. It's kind of in between the two actually. You'll see. *winks*_

_**Annabeth-Kahlan-Alanna-Cara: **It was kind of inevitable. *sighs* Poor 'Rissa! Btw, can I call you Annabeth? _

_**Rabiosa: **Hm...nice prediction, but probably not drugs. I'm glad you're still reading! :3_

* * *

**Chapter XXXI**

_All these years you've turned away_  
_Nothing left to say_

_Vengeance_  
_You haven't a clue_  
_Vengeance_  
_It's inside of you_

Drip, drop, drip, drop. I listened to my own blood dripping onto the floor. I had absolutely no idea how much time had passed since I had attacked Gillette. To be honest, I didn't even care. He could be dead right now and I wouldn't give a damn. I could die in the next hour and I wouldn't give a damn about that either.

Drip, drip drip. I continued to listen to my life spilling away drop by drop. There wasn't really any hurry to die, but there was no reason to have the slowest death in history either. Perhaps I should speed the process up a bit.

Click! A noise that did not come from me sounded. It took my fuzzy brain a few minutes to realize that someone had opened the door to my cabin. My eyes flicked upwards. A very familiar figure was standing there. Only yesterday, he had proposed to marry me. Even more recently than that, he had tried to murder me.

I didn't want to face Gillette for several reasons. If I did face him, I could lose control and rip his body to pieces. Also, I didn't think I could look into his eyes. I just couldn't after he had hurt me so badly.

Deciding to play dead, I made my body look limp and shut my eyes. I heard the creaking of Gillette's footsteps as he walked towards me. Well, he was more limping than walking actually. I was glad I had caused him some pain. A demon-like smirk curled my lip.

There was a louder creak as Gillette crouched next to me. His hand brushed my hair off of my chest and stroked my breast. He cupped it in his hand, obviously looking at my wound. If he had just looked at me, I might've been able to stay in the dead-like position. Touching, however, was definitely off limits at the moment.

My eyes whipped open and I glared green daggers at Gillette, hissing, "Don't touch me, you bastard."

"Nerissa! Thank god you're alive," Gillette said, sighing with relief.

I looked at him in confusion. He just didn't get it, did he? He had tried to kill me and I had tried to kill him, and now he was thanking god that I was alive? My mind spun in confusion. What was this? A joke?

"You tried to kill me," I stated emotionlessly, forcing myself into a sitting position. I grabbed the knife lying by my side and said, "You tried to kill me with this blade. You shoved it through my chest. Don't tell me you didn't mean it. Don't you dare!"

"Nerissa, please. You have to listen to me," Gillette protested. "You don't understand...oh my god."

I watched Gillette cringe and put a hand to his chest. Blood was seeping through his white shirt. I smiled evilly and waved a hand at him, asking, "Does it hurt?"

"I deserved it," Gillette said as he panted for breath. "But you still don't get it. He was going to kill me if I didn't stab you. With me dead, you'd never get out of here. You'd die or Barbossa would abuse you again. Don't you see, Nerissa? I didn't want to..."

"Getting out of here?" I echoed listlessly, not bothering to listen to anything else he had said. "You've done a bloody lot to help me out of here. I'm still trapped on this ship even with you around."

Gillette took a deep breath and said, "I'll get you out. I could lose my life for this, but it no longer matters."

Gillette reached for me, but I flinched away and suddenly grabbed the knife I had used to stab him. I flipped the blade around in my hand and said, "You don't understand either. You think I just want to go back to my previous life. Well, guess what? I cannot. Not anymore after everything that's happened. Gillette...how could you?"

"Weren't you listening to me?" Gillette asked. "I told you why."

"No," I replied, continuing to twist the knife around in my hand. "You used me and abused me. Is that what you were after this whole time? Did you just want to sleep with me?"

"Nerissa, be reasonable," Gillette said, looking a bit upset. "Do you believe me to be that shallow?"

"How would I know?" I hissed at him, eyes flashing. "You ruined me. You ruined my life. I told you I was bonded to you. You took advantage of that bonding and then you tried to kill me. I loved you so much. You have no idea..."

Gillette reached forwards and tried to touch me, saying gently, "I love you too. I did this for your own good. I did it because I didn't want you dead. Why do you think I stabbed your breast instead of your heart? I know exactly where your heart is. I could've killed you, but I didn't. If you'd only let me, I can help you."

"No, I don't want help," I said sadly. "I don't want to live anymore. I just want to die."

I plunged the knife towards my heart, but apparently Gillette had been expecting that move. He reached forwards and grabbed my hand, preventing me from stabbing myself. Gillette forced the knife out of my hand and tossed it across the room. It clattered a little ways away. Gillette sighed and gave me a sad look.

Not wanting his sympathy, I tilted my head at him and asked, "Why are you acting like this towards me? You should be hating me. Look at yourself. Your shirt is turning crimson because I cut you. Didn't you know that was me who did that? You should be furious at me. Why can't you kill me properly like you wanted to?"

"I didn't want to kill you as I've said a hundred times now," Gillette sighed, starting to get irritated. "I can help you with your wound if you'd only let me."

Gillette tried to touch my breast. I slashed at him with my nails before he could touch me. Gillette fixed me with an odd look. Abruptly, he leaned down and picked me up. He didn't put his hands on any sensitive parts of my body, but I still didn't like him holding me. What was he going to do to me now?

"Put me down! What are you doing?" I hissed, trying to wriggle free of his arms even though I was half-dead and could barely move.

"Something I should have done a long time ago. I'm going to set you free," Gillette said a-matter-of-factly as he brought me towards his cabin.

I stared at him in confusion. I didn't see how he was going to set me free by imprisoning me in his cabin. Thinking that he was lying to me and had ulterior motives, I glared at him and hissed, "This isn't the way to free me. You're going to rape me, aren't you?"

Gillette looked like he wanted to slap me. He didn't, but his eyes flashed as he said, "Just shut it, will you?"

"Put me down then," I ordered a-matter-of-factly.

"Fine," Gillette replied, tossing me onto the bed.

I watched him grab a few wooden boards and throw them onto the bed next to me. I stared at him suspiciously, not sure what exactly he was going to do with the boards. Suddenly, he grabbed the knife and threw it at the window. The glass shattered into a thousand little pieces and flew all over the room. A tiny piece landed by my toe.

"What the hell are you doing?" I asked him as a bit of water came into the room through the window.

Gillette picked me back up and walked me over to the window, saying, "Setting you free. I don't care if the whole ship sinks because of this, I just want you safe. I love you, Nerissa. Believe what you want, but it is the truth."

We looked at each other for a few minutes. My face showed a range of emotions from hatred, confusion, hurt, betrayal, and love. I didn't know how I felt towards Gillette at that moment. My body got the better of me and I leaned forwards to kiss him. Once again, Gillette predicted what I was going to do. He tossed me out the window before I could kiss him and sent me to the waves below.

My legs immediately changed and I found that I already had a long, green tail. I poked my head out of the water to see Gillette throwing up the boards where the window had been to keep the water out. Taking a deep breath, I dove underwater and didn't look back. I was returning to the sea like Marina had, but there was a difference. I wanted vengeance against humans.

Without really thinking where I was going, I started swimming. There was no destination in my mind. To be honest, I wasn't even happy to be free. My mind was solely on the pain I had gone through and the betrayal. I swam and swam and swam until...

"Oh my god, is that you, Nerissa?" a familiar musical voice asked me.

Peeking up, I found that I was face-to-face with Gemma. She was as gorgeous as ever with her platinum blonde hair and azure eyes. Everyone liked her. Gemma never used to talk to me, but I supposed she was only talking to me now because of how I had disappeared a month ago. I had probably been the topic of gossip.

"Yes, it is me," I said with a forced smile. "How are you, Gemma?"

"Oh, fine," Gemma replied. "I have a new partner, actually. His name is Zale, do you know him?"

There would've been a time where I would've been furious with Gemma for hooking up with Zale. Now? I really just didn't care. I nodded carelessly and said, "Yes, I do know him. I'm sure you two make a nice couple."

"We're not a couple, we're partners," Gemma said, obviously having mentioned Zale to irritate me on purpose. "I heard you fell in love with a human."

I narrowed my eyes and said nothing. I was so irritated about Gillette that I actually started swimming away in annoyance. Gemma followed me, obviously not going to let it go. Great.

"So how was it with the human?" Gemma pressed.

"How was it?" I echoed. "Well, I tried to kill him. That's how it was."

"I knew you'd come around and realize that humans are evil creatures," Gemma replied with a convincing nod. "That leads me to my next question. There are some sailors very close to White Cap Bay. Will you join us in our attack?"

I blinked and thought about this for a moment. So this was White Cap Bay? The anger continued to sizzle through my veins, helping me make up my mind. I would help Gemma in the attack.

"Yes," I said simple. "I will help."

"Great!" Gemma said, swimming by my side. "Syrena is around. I'm sure she'll be grateful to have you back."

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_Review? :)  
_


	33. Stuck

_Hi guys! How is everyone? I have a stupid eye doctor appointment this morning and they always like to say that I'm about to get an infection and blah, blah, blah even though I've never had an infection in my life. *rolls eyes* Okay, that was really off topic. =P Anyways, this chapter switches to Syrena's POV. I do remember I promised to do a bit with her and Philip, so here we go..._

_**Beckettfangirl: **Omg, yay for a new chapter today! *gets excited* Shortness runs in my family too, although I'm the only one who ended up 4'11. :(_

**_Annabeth: _**_Yes, she is going to talk to Syrena. You'll see in this chapter. :)_

**_CharlieCats: _**_Yes, sometimes twists are super annoying at first. I remember reading a book like that and the end left me going wtf? =P It is a shame about 'Rissa though. Now she's going to take part in the feeding frenzy. _

**_Kat_**_: Teehee, maybe you are psychic! Yes, she will join in the White Cap Bay fight along with Syrena, even though Syrena isn't exactly fighting. Then again, I bet you already knew that because of the psychic powers, right? ;3_

_**Sithlord8665: **Hehe, yay for Jack! We all need someone to come to our rescue! You'll see what happens next in this chapter..._

_**Flik: **You're totally right about that! And hm...most likely Barbossa will find out! *hints* Maybe we should start calling him pegleg from now on. lol_

_**Lady Sybelle: ***hands tissues just in case* To answer your questions...will they face again? Maybe. =P Will Barbossa fight with Gillette? I would say probably not since Barbossa needs all the men he can get to help him fight Blackbeard._

_**12DEHD: **Omg, I hate happily ever afters. I dunno why, but they just bug me. Everything is too perfect and real life is just not perfect, you know? But the story isn't over yet...I think I have 7 chapters left. How's Hawaii, btw? =P_

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**Chapter XXXII**

_When I first saw you I was afraid to talk to you, _  
_ When I first talked to you I was afraid to like you,_  
_ When I first liked you I was afraid to love you, _  
_ Now that I love you I'm afraid to lose you_

Nerissa had been on my mind quite a bit in the last few weeks. I hadn't supported her mission of going after her sailor. Nonetheless, I had let her go since she was my sister and also since Nerissa was very stubborn. If there was something Nerissa wanted, she was certainly going to get it. There was no stopping her.

After she had left, I had talked to a few of the other mermaids, including my friend, Coral. Coral was very pretty. She had dark black hair, dark eyes, and a purple tail. I admired her quite a bit. She was older than me and seemed quite wise.

When the mermaids had decided to travel to White Cap Bay from the waters around Jamaica, I decided to come along with them. My only fear about this was that Nerissa would not know about our new home. In the end, Coral had convinced me to come along by saying that I would stay in the waters of Jamaica all by myself since nobody else was staying.

Coral had a point; living by Jamaica alone just wasn't an option. Mermaids are very social and we hate being alone for too long. I liked White Cap Bay. The waters were very clean here and there were lots of new mermaids that we could mingle with. The human population was zero. The only times we saw humans was when their ships were unfortunate enough to cross our paths.

Surprisingly enough, Nerissa had rubbed off on me. I no longer supported the attacks on the humans. When Gemma or one of the other girls led an attack, I refused to participate in it. Attacking was just not my way.

As much as I liked our new location, I had been feeling like there was more out there for me lately. I still didn't have a partner. None of the mermen ever noticed me. I was invisible to their eyes. It wasn't helping that Nerissa was gone. Even though Coral was a close friend, Nerissa was my sister and could understand me like nobody else could.

Bored, I sat on a rock and combed my hair with a sea urchin. Coral was currently out doing something or another and there was really no one to talk to. It was a gray day and it looked like it might storm later.

"Syrena?" a voice sounded from behind me.

I just about jumped a mile when I heard the voice. Whirling around, I came face to face with a coppery-haired, green-eyed mermaid. I gasped from shock and exclaimed, "Oh my god, Nerissa! You're back! I missed you so much."

I leaned forwards to hug my sister. She was stiff in my arms and when I pulled away from her, I noticed something about her had changed. Her lips were thin, her eyes looked tired, and there was something evil about her. As soon as that thought crossed my mind, I pushed it away. I couldn't call my sister evil! Still though, there was a fire in her eyes that looked like it was sent from hell.

"Nerissa?" I asked tentatively as I perched on the rock. "What happened? Are you alright?"

"Not really, but it doesn't matter," Nerissa said stonily as she went to sit next to me on the rock.

I sighed and watched her for a few minutes. There were times when Nerissa refused to talk to anyone. In a few moments, she would most likely be telling me her whole story though. I waited the few minutes and tried again, "What happened?"

"Nothing," Nerissa said stubbornly. "It doesn't matter."

"Nerissa, it does matter," I said gently. "You're going to tell me sooner than later, so why don't you just do it sooner?"

There was a moment's silence while Nerissa thought about this. She bit her lip and paused. I could tell she was considering what I had just said. Finally, she gave me a nervous look and said, "You're going to laugh at me."

I gave Nerissa a strange look and replied, "Of course I would never laugh at you. You're my sister! I've never laughed at you before in my life. What makes you think I would laugh at you now?"

"I don't know..." Nerissa started out. "I've been through a lot..."

"I know," I told Nerissa, placing a hand on hers and getting her to look at me. "Tell me what happened."

"We were going to marry, but then he tried to kill me! Then I tried to kill him," Nerissa said all in a long string of words.

"How about from the beginning?" I suggested to Nerissa, having no idea what she was talking about. "Let's start with when you left for England. What happened after that?"

Nerissa slowed down and took a deep breath. Trying to compose herself, she started out, "I followed my sailor's ship to England. When the ship arrived there, we talked for a bit. He had a sunburn and I helped soothe it with kelp. Gillette, my sailor, told me that he was to sail to the Fountain of Youth with a captain of King George's pick. He told me that a mermaid tear was required for the Fountain of Youth ritual. Gillette said that I should go back to Port Royal and get away."

"Let me guess," I interjected with a knowing look. "You didn't go back to Port Royal, did you?"

Nerissa shook her head, "No, I didn't. I stayed right where I was. There was a human who came to me. He told me that he would make me human if I came on a voyage with him. I agreed and soon learned that the man was Captain Barbossa, the one leading King George's expedition. The only reason he wanted me around was to get my tear. I refused to give it to him. He tortured me in many ways. My sailor came to me at times while I was captive. We grew closer and I fell more in love with him."

I was looking at Nerissa in horror. I couldn't imagine my poor sister being tortured. Squeezing her hand tightly, I asked, "How did he torture you? I'm so sorry my poor sister."

Nerissa attempted to smile at me and said, "I'd prefer not to say exactly. The tale isn't over yet. Gillette and me...we...um..."

I half-smiled at Nerissa's awkwardness and filled in the words, "You made love, didn't you?"

"Yes, we did," Nerissa finally replied, a blush spreading across her cheeks. "It was so good, Syrena. It's a thousand times better than kissing. Anyways, he proposed to be after that. I said yes."

My eyebrows lifted in surprise. Just to make sure I was still following her, I interjected, "He actually asked you to marry him?"

"Yes," Nerissa said with a nod. "Then not more than a few hours later, he stabbed me."

"He tried to kill you?" I asked in surprised horror.

Nerissa nodded, "I was angry. I almost killed him, but something stopped me. He came to me again and finally set me free. That is why I am with here once again. I missed you so much, Syrena! I'm so glad to be back with you again. You were right, you know."

"Right about what?" I questioned her, wrapping my arms around her for a hug.

"Right about humans," Nerissa replied. "We aren't meant to mix with them. They're in a different class altogether."

"True, but it isn't your fault," I said, hugging her even more tightly. "There is something I do not quite understand though. You said that he stabbed you and then set you free. That doesn't make much sense. If he wanted you dead, wouldn't he have left you to die instead of finding a way to set you free?"

"It was complicated," Nerissa said with a shrug. "But does it matter? He tried to kill me for god's sake!"

Before I could reply to this, Gemma and Coral swam up to us. It was late evening and the waters were becoming dark. It was impossible to see the two until they were right up in front of us. Gemma shot me one of those pearly white smiles and said, "Nerissa here has said she will join in the mermaid hunt with us. There's a ship approaching us. Wait for my signal and then come join us at the surface of the water."

I watched a bit stunned as Gemma swam away and Nerissa nodded. Nerissa hunting humans was just something I had never imagined before. Turning to face her, I asked, "You're hunting with Gemma?"

Nerissa nodded and I saw that cold, hard look in her eyes. There was no stopping her.

"You know it's in our nature to hunt," Coral said solemnly. "I am sorry that it bothers you though."

I nodded and just swam around the rock listlessly. My sister had changed quite a bit. Unfortunately, she hadn't changed in a good way either. A little bit later, Gemma started singing. It was the signal. We were to go to Gemma and prepare to sink the ship and kill all the humans within the ship. I had actually picked up Nerissa's bad habit of saving a helpless sailor now and then instead.

When the signal came, I looked up at Nerissa. Her eyes were flashing angrily and I noticed her chest was rising and falling very quickly. There was no talking Nerissa out of the hunt. She and Coral exchanged glances and followed Gemma's voice. Now I was left all alone sitting on my rock at the bottom of the ocean.

Feeling quite lonely, I swam around for a few minutes before deciding to go see what was going on. I pumped my tail up and down and followed the other mermaids to the surface of the water. The mermaids were encircling a little rowboat with about eight people sitting inside. Some of the men within in the boat looked nervous, some looked lovestruck (especially the sailor leaning towards Gemma for a kiss), and one looked merely intrigued.

This man caught my eye. He had sandy-colored hair, deep blue eyes, and a beautiful face. I tried to look away, but I just could not. Something about him captivated me. I think he saw me. Not wanting him to get hurt, I swam silently around the rowboat while Gemma and her group sang, calling all the mermaids for a feeding frenzy.

To my surprise, Nerissa was right up against the side of the rowboat next to Gemma. Her eyes flashed and I could tell she was just dying to sink her fangs into human flesh. She had changed so much. I wanted the old Nerissa back.

Gemma's sailor was leaning close to her for a kiss. Gemma slapped her tail hard against the water and the fight commenced. Mermaids jumped out of the water, grabbing sailors from the boat and pulling them to the bottom of the ocean to drown them. I stayed nearby just to make sure the man I had my eye on wasn't one of the ones other mermaids were devouring.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw that Nerissa had grabbed one of the sailors. She looked demon-possessed as she swam to the ocean's depths with him. Oh, Nerissa, what have you done to yourself?

Sighing, I shook my head and continued to keep an eye on my sailor. Suddenly, I saw a large ship sailing straight at us. The boat was spitting flames out in front of it. Feeling blinded, I jumped out of the way of the ship and lost view of my sailor. Oh no, where was he? I had to find him.

The mermaids continued the attack. More and more sailors were being drowned by the second. Wondering if he had made it to shore, I poked my head out of the water and saw that he was climbing onto a strip of land just below the lighthouse. Looking up, I saw that the lighthouse was about to blow up. If my sailor didn't move, he was going to be killed.

Alarm shot through my body and I found myself lunging at the man. I grabbed him and yanked him out of the way just as the lighthouse exploded. Sighing with relief, I let his arm go and started to swim away. Unfortunately, swimming away wasn't an option. Rubble from the lighthouse had fallen on top of me. I was stuck.

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_Review? :) Btw, is anyone having youtube problems? I can't get it to work and I can't write unless I have Buckcherry blaring at max volume. =P  
_


	34. You're Different

_Hello all! Sorry for the late update. It's so weird because it was raining like hell here earlier and now it's sunny. *rolls eyes* Anyways, we're still in Syrena's POV..._

**_12DEHD: _**_Omg, I love the beach if it's not too hot there. I love picking up seashells too, but the beaches around here don't have shells. *sadface* So are you still in Hawaii or are you in California now?_

_**Kat: **I'm so glad you liked the chapter! Hm...there is a good chance that they will come face-to-face again! And lol, yes, you are very perceptive and I think psychic too perhaps. =P Hope you keep reading! :3_

**_CharlieCats: _**_Lol, yes, she is a crazy mermaid now. There will be a few more chapters in Syrena's POV. I love her and Philip too. They were kinda random, but very cute, don't you think? :D_

_**AsininityJackal: **Yay, youtube is working again which is good because I cannot live without it. =P Not quite sure if there was a red-haired mermaid in Potc 4, but I like to think so. lol_

_**Romeondjuliet4-ever: **That's okay! I'm so glad you're still reading though! :D Hope you like this chapter..._

**_Lady Sybelle: _**_Aw, do you need more tissue? I do. I went through two boxes this week already. *sighs* Hope you like this chappie._

_**Rabiosa: **Ooo, good question. You'll see very soon! ;3_

**_Knight Mistress: _**_Thank you! :D I really enjoy your reviews!_

**_Flik: _**_That's totally okay and thank you so much for reading! I know, I want a Philip too! Oh geez, I am such I slut. I need Happy, Fluffy, and a Philip now! lol Thanks for reading my other fic, btw, but I think it was quite horrible now and I'm debating deleting it, what do you think? Thanks for reading! *hugs*_

* * *

**Chapter XXXIII**

_The wind against my face_  
_ At the same moment I feel you_  
_ Moving swiftly through time_  
_ Shedding skin_  
_ Well all of, all of the feelings_  
_Will soon turn to cold_

There's not much to do when you're stuck. I whipped my tail up and down and tried to struggle out of the pile of rubble, but my struggling only made the situation worse. Panic filled me and I could hear my heartbeat thrumming in my ears. What would happen if nobody came to find me? I didn't want to think about that.

Suddenly, I felt something on top of me come loose. Wondering how I had gotten free, I started swimming forwards until I felt a rush of pain coming from my tail fin. Gasping, I flipped onto my stomach and tried to detect the source of the pain.

My sailor was standing before me with a knife embedded in my tail. Our eyes locked and he quickly removed his knife. My breaths came in puffs as I searched his eyes, trying to ask why he had stabbed me. My sailor looked saddened, like he hadn't meant to stab me but had reacted on sudden impulse instead.

Without any warning, a net was thrown over my body, obscuring my view. I hissed and writhed around, trying to break free of the net. The leader of this group of humans strode up to smile triumphantly down at me. I recognized him from stories other mermaids had told me over the years. This was the infamous pirate called Blackbeard.

Next to him, was a younger woman who looked like she was Blackbeard's daughter. On Blackbeard's other side was another pirate with long dreadlocks. I hissed at them all and tried to break free of the net as I was lifted out of the water.

"Good work, sailor," Blackbeard said to my sailor.

My sailor opened his mouth as if to protest, but I was already being thrown into a glass coffin. Water was already in it. I was thankful for that, but was suddenly nervous as the lid to the coffin was slammed shut. Without air, I wouldn't be able to survive for very long.

Two men grabbed the ends of the coffin and lifted it into the air. I gave them evil looks and noticed that they weren't actual men. They looked more like zombies or other strange half-human creatures. Now I could completely understand why Nerissa had hated captivity so much. It was horrible. You were treated like an animal and not given what you needed most; air.

There was a faint tingling coming from where I had been stabbed. My tail had stopped bleeding, but it still hurt. Since rest was what healed a mermaid the quickest, I closed my eyes and tried to sleep. It was near to impossible to do when your coffin was being jerked around every few minutes though.

The party of mostly pirates, the two zombies, and my sailor were obvious going somewhere or another. Unfortunately, I was being forced to go too. The water sloshed around in my coffin and the air supply was decreasing rather quickly. The pirates seemed to walk for a very long time until they finally took a break. My coffin was set onto the ground and I found I had a good view of my sailor and the pirate with dreadlocks. I pressed my face to the glass to try and get my sailor's attention.

My sailor was washing his face in the stream. The pirate with dreadlocks stood next to him and said, "Young cleric, in case this does not end well for me, I want to know how I get to the place where all the goody-goodies go."

My sailor looked up at the pirate and replied, "We have a way for that, Jack. You can convert."

The air in the tank was diminishing very rapidly. I couldn't breathe. I was gasping now, but it didn't do me much good since nobody was looking at me.

The pirate, obviously called Jack, replied, "I was thinking about a more as-need-to basis."

Suddenly, my sailor turned and caught a glimpse of me gasping for breath. He stood up and called to the zombie holding my coffin, "Open this! She can't breathe."

"She has water," the zombie replied in an unconcerned voice. My vision was started to swirl from lack of air.

"She needs air. You have to open this!" my sailor pressed.

The zombie still looked unconcerned as he replied unemotionally, "She will escape."

"You're killing her!" my sailor yelled, frantic to save me.

Jack ambled over and pointed out, "I support the missionary's position."

The zombie chuckled while I continued to fight for air. Abruptly, my sailor leaned forwards and snatched the knife from the zombie's belt. He broke through the lock on my coffin with the knife and lifted the lid of the cage just enough for air to come flowing into the coffin. I took it in gratefully, slumping against the cage.

"See?" my sailor pressed, frowning as he motioned to my cage. The zombie frowned, obviously not happy at being proven wrong. He snatched his knife out of my cage and replaced it with my sailor's bible. Now the coffin would stay open just enough for me to be able to breathe.

We didn't stop for much longer. The group was certainly in a hurry to get somewhere or another. I blinked and listened into the conversation as two zombies and a random sailor picked up my coffin and started walking again.

After a few hours of this, the sailor who was helping to carry my cage asked, "Why is it that we have to bring her along again?"

I figured 'her' was me. The young woman who I had learned was called Angelica replied, "Because tears don't keep. We need them fresh."

The part about tears caught my attention immediately. I listened in as Jack spoke, "Can you remind me of the ritual again? Water from the Fountain, the tear of a mermaid..."

Angelica picked up where Jack left off, saying, "And two silver chalices from Ponce de Leon."

"Right," Jack replied. "So each get water in them, but only one has the tear?"

"The one with the tear takes life from from the one without the tear," Angelica explained.

"So the person whoever drinks from chalice with the tear takes all the years of the life from the person who drinks from the other chalice. How many years would that be?" Jack asked.

"All the years a person has lived and has yet to life," Angelica said, shooting Jack a nasty look as she added, "And all the years a person could have lived if fate had been kinder."

The party continued on while I was left deep in thought. So I was being brought on this quest because Blackbeard and Angelica wanted a tear from me. I was in the exact same situation Nerissa had been in. One thing I was certain of; I would not give a tear.

A few hours later, we were still traveling. The sailor who was helping the zombies carry the coffin was starting to get sloppy. He tripped over a stray branch. The coffin went jerking forwards and smashed onto the ground. Shards of glass shattered and the water went flying everywhere. I landed on my stomach on the ground.

I had never been completely out of water before. Fear pulsated from deep within me as I thrashed my tail around. A strange sensation was filling my body. Nerissa had told me something about this. She had said that if you were completely out of the water, your tail would form legs. Keeping this in mind, I curled myself into a ball and huddled on the ground as the scales dissolved and legs were left in their place.

I felt everyone's eyes on me. A pink blush appeared on my cheeks. It was horrible to be humiliated in this way. I didn't think there could be any more shame than what I was forced to be going through right now.

My sailor quickly rushed forwards, stripping off his shirt and jacket. He knelt behind me and wrapped the clothing around me. I sighed with relief and tugged the white shirt tightly around me.

Blackbeard stepped forwards, took one look at my legs and said, "You will walk."

I frowned at him and forced myself to get up. I tried to take a step, but stumbled and fell. I said quietly, "I cannot."

Blackbeard showed no mercy and shrugged, murmuring, "Walk or die."

The zombie started to approach me, knife pointed at my back. I glared at him and Blackbeard. There was no way I could walk. My legs just wouldn't allow it. They were weak and clumsy.

My sailor knelt next to me and said, "Put your arms around me."

Not quite sure how I was feeling about him after he had stabbed me when we had first met, I pressed, "I do not ask for help."

My sailor nodded, but added, "You need it."

I hated being weak and powerless, but my sailor was right. I did need help. Looking at the ground shamefully, I put my arms around my sailor's neck. He clutched me against him so I would not fall and then he got to his feet.

"You were in a hurry, yes?" he said to Blackbeard.

Blackbeard sneered at us and said simply, "Do not fall behind."

We continued to travel for quite a while. It was awkward to be carried at first, but I became used to it after just a bit. My sailor was gentle with me and I wasn't jerked around like I had been when I was in the coffin. After a little while, we took a break and my sailor set me onto a rock. Our eyes met and we looked at each other.

"Such beauty," my sailor said. "Surely you are one of god's reincarnations and not one of those dark creatures that found refuge on the ark."

I continued looking at him with curiosity. He was certainly religious, that much was clear to the eye.

"Such beauty," he said again before adding, "but deadly."

I choose now as the first time to speak. I shook my head and implored him to understand as I said, "Deadly, no."

My sailor had started to turn away, but when he heard me speak, he turned around and said, "You attacked me."

Frowning, I shook my head.

He thought for a few minutes before realization lit up his eyes. He tilted his head and said, "You pulled me out of the way, didn't you?" Glad that he understood, I nodded. He continued looking at me and asked, "Why?"

"You are different, are you not?" I said with a small smile.

Before my sailor could reply, Blackbeard marched back into the clearing ordering, "We are about one day away from our destination. We must keep moving." Waving a hand in my direction, he added, "Bring the creature, cover it's head."

"She has a name!" my sailor burst out, glaring at Blackbeard.

Blackbeard looked amused and spread his arms wide, saying, "Pray tell."

As my sailor looked back at me, I tried to send him my name through the bond that had started to grow between us. My sailor interpreted the message and looked up at Blackbeard, saying, "She's Syrena."

At that exact moment, I felt my sailor's name in my head; Philip.

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_Review? :)  
_


	35. Old Wounds

_Hi everyone! Thank you all for the nice reviews! We're back to Gillette's POV in this chappie..._

_**12DEHD: **Oh yes, I think you're right. I'm so awful at remembering movie quotes, you know? lol Thanks for reading!_

_**Flik: **Yeah, I always wondered about them at the end of the movie too. Mom says she thinks Syrena saved Philip, but I think she drowned him. lol Okay, I won't delete it. =P I hope you update your fic soon though! :D_

_**Knight Mistress: **Aw, thanks so much! I hope you keep reading. :)_

_**Rabiosa: **Thank you! They are cute. :D_

_**Lady Sybelle: **I'm glad you're liking it. There's still five more chapters to go or so. ;D_

_**Ashley: **Aw, thanks! I'm usually terrible at getting the wording correct. Love your avvie, btw! So cute! And I know! That was so great in Flik's fic with Fluffy. I hope she updates soon! *rasies eyebrows at Flik* lol_

_**Kat: **Yay, you're back! *cheers* I will answer the email very soon, I just have to do a few things. :) Yes, I love Syrena/Philip too! Love at first sight is so cute. And omg, I LOVE the missonary line. Too funny! Talk to you soon! :)_

_**(): **It's alright, I get offended super easily, so sorry if I came off as rude. Anyways, glad you're liking the rest of it. I don't think there's any more smut or anything, so hopefully you'll enjoy the rest. About Barbossa...you asked me why I made him so evil, right? Sorry, my memory is bad. Anyways, I just thought of him as kinda evillish since he was willing to sacrific his whole crew just so he could get "revenge". I dunno, I find that really pathetic and selfish. Yes, Gillette and Nerissa will see each other again when they're both dying...*hints* Haha, no, I don't write about what happens to Syrena and Philip after she pulls him into the water because I'm not creative enough to come up with a story for that. Personally, I think she drowned him, but that's just my opinion. _

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**Chapter XXXIV**_  
_

"Ouch!" I whimpered as I accidentally moved my arm the wrong way. My whole body ached and thrummed with constant pain. Nerissa had done a pretty good job of mutilating most of my body. She had ripped up my arms, chest, and thighs. I would have scars for life now, but found that I wasn't angry at Nerissa. I deserved every single one of those marks.

I should've died instead of stabbed her. She would've died that way as well since there would have been no one who would have rescued her, but at least we both would've died in love with each other. Currently, we were both alive but were both miserable. I spent every moment of my life regretting what I had done to Nerissa. Nerissa had been furious with me and had wanted to take her own life.

"Gillette?" Theo's voice sounded in my ear.

"Yes?" I said, flinching from the pain in the crook of my arm. I still hadn't gotten around to telling Theo what had happened to Nerissa. Actually, nobody knew that I had let Nerissa free. I had boarded up the window that I had smashed to release her and nobody would ever know a thing unless I choose to tell them what happened.

"We're to go ashore in the longboat with the Captain and a few of the other men. The rest of the men will stay here," Theo explained. He gave me a closer look and pressed, "What happened to you, Gillette? You look like you're in pain."

"I'm fine," I lied, taking a step forwards.

Theo gave me a dubious look and said, "There's really no need to lie to me. You know I can tell when you're upset. I'm supposing this has something to do with Nerissa, am I right?"

Deciding not to hide the truth from Theo, I sighed and said, "Yes." I hesitated before adding, "I set her free."

Theo's eyes widened and he looked impressed and shocked as he asked, "How did you do that?"

"The window," I replied, "I smashed it and then boarded it up. Nobody knows about it except me. Well, except me and you now. You must promise not to tell. I don't think I can bear any more trouble."

"Of course I won't tell anyone," Theo quickly promised me. "Although, I would think that since she's free, you would be happy. Instead, you seem...different. What happened?"

"I was going to kill Barbossa," I admitted, kicking the floorboards and wincing from the pain that traveled up my leg.

"Gillette!" Theo said with a frown. "What did I tell you about that? You should know better than to kill the captain. So what happened? I'm guessing you got caught, am I right?"

"Yes," I said, glaring at the floorboards. "Barbossa asked me what I was doing and so I told him I was going to kill the mermaid with the knife that was meant for him. He brought me to Nerissa and said I should stab her or else he would shoot me. With me dead, Nerissa would never escape. I stabbed her, but it wasn't a fatal stab. She took it all wrong. She said that I had used her. Then she came to me in the night and mutilated my arms and chest. If I'm walking strange or wincing, you know why."

Theodore flinched as he listened to my tale and said, "I think you made the right decision, but I cannot say I approve of you trying to kill Barbossa. I did tell you that attempting it would not turn out well for anyone."

"I see that now. I don't really need an 'I told you so' right now though," I said, giving Theo a wry smile.

"First Lieutenant and Mr. Gillette, I need ye both in the longboat," Barbossa yelled at us.

Theodore and I exchanged looks before we quickly stepped over to the longboat, me trying not to flinch. The two of us helped row to land as the weather started to change. The sky was gray and water droplets started falling from the heavens. My uniform felt heavy and wet. Theodore's wig was uncurling and was dripping down his back. Finally, we reached land.

Once on land, a strange skeleton caught Theodore's eye. He raced over to it and gasped, "My god, is that a-"

"Mermaid, aye," Barbossa cut into Theodore's sentence.

I glanced over Theodore's shoulder and stared at the mermaid remains. Something inside me hurt as I thought about Nerissa as nothing more than a skeleton. I hoped she hadn't done anything rash. She hadn't seemed to be in her right mind when I had released her. Something inside her was different. She had changed.

The rain was started to fall heavier now. I was chilled to the bone and wished we could seek shelter. Barbossa, on the other hand, was in a much better mood. He was grinning crazily and was staring in front of him in a strange manor.

"Ever looked back and seen yer footsteps in the sand?" Barbossa asked us. "It be just like that, but footsteps lyin' before me."

In a sassy mood, I pointed out, "It's a footstep, actually." After all, he only had one leg.

Before Barbossa could reply to me, there were screaming and noises of the like heard from the distance. Theodore and I both turned around and stared at the ship in horror.

"Headin', Gibbs?" Barbossa asked Gibbs.

Theodore and I continued to stare as slender shapes jumped out of the water and attacked the ship. They were mermaids, there was no doubt about that. They were going to sink the ship and drown all the men on board.

"But, sir!" Theodore protested, pointing at the Providence. "What about the men?"

Barbossa took a quick glance at the ship and shrugged, saying, "They already be dead."

Theodore shot him an incredulous look and for once, I thought he was going to loose his temper as he protested, "They don't sound dead!"

Barbossa took a step forwards and pressed his pistol to Theodore's throat, saying, "Oh, really? All I hear are seagulls nesting. What is it that ye hear, Mr. Groves?"

Groves shot him a murderous look as his eyes narrowed and he said, "Seagulls nesting, nothing more."

Theodore and I were forced to watch as our ship turned over and floated to the bottom of the ocean. Barbossa pointed his pistol at Gibbs and said, "I'll either have yer head or a headin', either one."

Gibbs gave Barbossa an annoyed glance before he started off in the new direction. I hesitated one last moment, watching the mermaids gleefully grabbing the sailors and bringing them to the depths of the ocean. They were no more than little dots from where I was standing, but I couldn't help but wonder if one of them was Nerissa.

"Gillette!" Theodore said, tugging at my hand as he tried to get me to follow him.

Telling myself that I needed to forget about Nerissa despite the fact that my body screamed of her, I followed Theodore and called, "All hands forward!"

We walked for what seemed like a very long time. The rain had finally lightened up, but we were still damp and cold. Our surroundings were jungle-like. Green leaves, plants, shrubs, and bushes seemed to be everywhere. We walked in a line with Gibbs going first, Barbossa second, Theodore third, me fourth, and the rest of the hands behind me.

After about three hours or so, Barbossa crammed a jar into Theodore's hand and said to Gibbs, "Don't move!"

Curious to see what Barbossa was looking at, I glanced over Theodore's shoulder and noticed a bright red and black toad had landed on Gibbs' back. Gibbs was standing very still, giving the toad an ominous look.

Barbossa waved Theodore forwards. He trapped the toad in the jar and twisted the lid shut. Barbossa chuckled and said, "One bite from the venomous toad and yer a dead man within' minutes. Fate continues to favor us."

Theodore and I shrugged slightly at each other while Gibbs gave Barbossa a strange look.

"What?" Barbossa asked, noticing Gibbs. "Can't an older man have a hobby? Carry on! Ye can sleep when yer dead."

Those words rang in my ears as I sighed and started treading on. Perhaps I should already be dead. Perhaps I had made the wrong choice. What if fate had wanted both Nerissa and me dead?

Our walk seemed to last for a long time. Finally, Barbossa left us at a grove of trees and ordered, "Ye are to wait here. I be goin' to the ship of Ponce de Leon to retrieve the silver chalices."

We all nodded. None of us were sad to see Barbossa go. As soon as he was gone, I flopped down at the foot of a tree and took a deep breath. My body ached all over. I wondered if some of my cuts were getting infected. It sure felt like it.

Peeking around, I saw a little stream ahead. I was dying to wash off. My cuts and aches seemed to be burning and sizzling. Figuring that nobody would miss me, I hid behind a tree and dumped my hat and wig on the ground before unbuttoning my coat and breeches. Once I had stripped down, I put a tentative foot in the water. It was freezing cold, but I didn't mind. It felt good against the cuts.

I got waist deep in the water and tried rubbing at the cuts. That didn't work so well. All it did was made me bite my lower lip to keep from whimpering. I wondered if mermaid wounds were venomous. The thought made me think of Nerissa. I loved her so much and I knew she would never return to me. A tear formed in the corner of my eye.

"Gillette?" a voice said from behind me, causing me to jump in surprise.

Spinning around, I saw Theodore and was glad I was mostly in the water. Wrapping my arms around myself to cover anything that shouldn't be seen, I said, "My god, Theo, don't scared me like that. I'm not wearing anything..."

Theodore wasn't paying any attention to the fact that I was naked. Instead, he was staring at the cuts on my chest and arms. Kneeling by the water, he murmured, "Nerissa did this to you?"

I nodded and replied, "Do they look infected? They hurt."

Theodore had a strange expression on his face. Finally, he said, "They don't look very good. I say we try and find this Fountain of Youth as quickly as possible and try to get you back to Port Royal to see a doctor."

I shrugged and said, "To be honest, I don't care anymore. I hurt Nerissa. These cuts and mars and only what I deserve. I love her, Theo. I don't know what I was thinking."

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	36. Leave Her With Her Own

_Hi everyone! Thank you all for the nice reviews! This chapter is in Syrena's POV.  
_

_**12DEHD: **Aw, I'm sorry about your Potc story! I have days where I can't write sometimes though. Like I think I need to delete my last seven chapters of the Jane fic. lol_

_**Flik: **Thanks! Yeah, I LOVE the footstep part. hehe Omg, that's so horrible about your chapter! *hugs* I'm so sorry. Hm, well, maybe do HP in year 7 so we can see some Scabior? Sorry I haven't gotten back to the email yet! I'll do it tonight though. :)  
_

_**Knight Mistress: **Aw, thanks so much! I hope you keep reading. :)_

_**Sithlord8665: **Yes, poor Gillette. :( Thanks for reading!_

_**Lady Sybelle: **Aw. *hands tissue* Thanks for hoping I feel better, it seems I'm always sick these days. *rolls eyes* Hope you keep liking this!  
_

_**Ashley: **Thanks very much! (ugh, is that a Jack quote? I find myself using Potc phrases ALL the time these days. =P) Anyways, there's lots of Philip/Syrena in this chappie, so I hope you like it! Ooo, you read them all? Well thank you! :D What one do you like best? Just out of curiousity. :) Yeah, I think she drowned him too. What did you have happen in your fic?  
_

_**Kat: **Yeah, poor Gillette! *gives him a hug* lol Aw, you think I did an okay job with the script? That was all by memory actually. I searched for a script for hours, but couldn't find one. *sadface* I think she drowned him too. =/ Their kiss was sweet though, you know, before they died? That just makes her drowning him more sad! *sniffles* Anyways...=P  
_

_**CharlieCats: **You're definitely right; infected wounds are not good! And yeah, this story won't have a happy ending for anyone really. You think Syrena saved him? Well, I think she drowned him since all the mermaids were deadly and have a dangerous side (that's why I made Nerissaa with an evil side) and because I dunno how bringing Philip to the bottom of the ocean would save him, you know? lol And aw, thanks so much! :D_

_**Annabeth: **That's very true! We'll see about Nerissa soon. Thanks for reading. ;3**  
**_

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**Chapter XXXV**_  
_

Philip carried me a long ways. I felt like I was very much in his debt. Regardless, he never complained or made any comments about what a burden I was. I wished to speak with him in private, but we were never left alone. Nobody wanted me to escape. They still needed the tear that I had sworn not to give.

After a little while, we reached a clearing with little tide pools. There was a cloth over my head and I couldn't see until I was lowered into one of the pools. I hissed as one of the zombies tugged the cloth away and pinned my hands up over my head. Philip was looking at me sympathetically, but there wasn't much he could do for me.

"Tie her up tight. These pools run deep," Blackbeard commanded as the zombie tied my hands to the trunk of a tree in one of the tide pools. I tried to lash out at him, but couldn't do much since my hands were bound.

Blackbeard stepped forwards once I had been tied up and pointed to something to my left, saying, "Look." I refused to look. Blackbeard slapped my cheek and said louder, "LOOK!"

To my left was the corpse of another mermaid who had no doubt been tied up just like me and left to die. Rage filled me as I looked at the corpse. Humans thought they could treat us just like animals.

"Your people are hunted for their tears," Blackbeard said, kneeling next to me. "Can you not hear your sisters scream?"

My only sister was Nerissa and I could just imagine her screaming at the captain who kidnapped her tortured her. My eyes narrowed as I thought of this.

"We need but one tear," Blackbeard said, trying to be convincing. "Syrena, won't you cry?"

He may think I was going to give in easily, but I was most certainly not. My eyes narrowed and I said, "All will die, even you, I hear."

Blackbeard slapped me again. Pain rushed through my body, but I tried to ignore it. I heard the men suggesting things like roasting and eating me or cutting out the tears from behind my eyes. They were nothing but savages themselves.

Blackbeard smirked at me and said, "Vile creature. Very well, you will stay here, half in the water, not enough to live but just enough to make the dying slow."

I glared at him, seeing that my tail was back and was twitching around in the water. I was very surprised when Philip stepped forwards and said, "No!" Blackbeard ignored Philip. I was afraid he would back off. To my relief, Philip did not go away.

He took a step forwards and said, "I was wrong, not every soul can be saved. That vile creature as you call her is worth one hundred of you."

Blackbeard smirked and said mockingly, "Observe a man formerly of faith."

Philip's eyes flashed and he turned towards Angelica, asking, "What's your say in this?"

I looked steadily at Angelica. I would not ask for help. Angelica looked and me and I noticed something light up in her eyes. Hm. She turned towards Blackbeard and said, "Perhaps she will have had a change of heart by morning."

"Indeed, and if not, she will roast to death. For that, I cannot wait. Perhaps we should build a fire..." Blackbeard mused.

"No!" Philip said again, taking a step forwards and looking from me to Blackbeard.

"Do not test me, cleric. If this displeases you, go pray," Blackbeard suggested. Philip did not leave and narrowed his eyes at Blackbeard. Blackbeard hesitated and suddenly noticed something. He turned back to Philip with a smirk and said, "You care for her. You fancy her. And do not deny what is clear to my eyes."

Philip didn't deny it. I looked up at him, wondering if he did like me. I did like him. He was my sailor after all. I flinched suddenly as Blackbeard knelt by me once again and said, "Now the only question is: does she fancy you?" He paused and tried to look at my face. I stared resiliently at the ground, not meeting his eyes. The point still got across and Blackbeard exclaimed, "By god, she does! We are in luck."

Blackbeard waved at the zombie behind Philip. The zombie grabbed his arm and held him hostage. Blackbeard produced a knife from his pocket and pointed it in Philip's direction while the sailor who had been forced to carry the glass coffin earlier put a small flask at the corner of my eye. I hissed at him.

"Produce a tear or watch the death of this poor unfortunate soul," Blackbeard ordered.

My heart started thudding against my chest frantically. I couldn't produce a tear unless I was happy. This situation made me anything put happy. I wanted to rip Blackbeard's throat for hurting Philip.

"Syrena, if you could produce a tear, I would be grateful," Philip requested.

I choked, but couldn't cry. Blackbeard looked impressed and said, "Sorrow? Yes. But sympathy? No." He leaned forwards to drive the blade through Philip's heart...

"Father, no," Angelica said. "Not by your own hand."

Blackbeard sighed and lowered his weapon. Instead, the zombie slashed his knife against Philip's chest. He crumpled immediately. I choked again and looked as if I was going to cry. The only problem was that I just could not.

Blackbeard turned to me and said, "You're right, mermaids are tough. We'll see if you have a change of heart by the morning." Turning to the zombies, he waved at Philip and said, "Dispose of him."

I was left tied and bound as the zombies went tossed Philip over a small ledge. Blackbeard, Angelica, and the rest of the crew went off in a different direction to look for a place to stay for the night.

That night was one of the longest nights of my life. It felt like it would never end. My heart cried out for Philip, begging him to be alive. Meanwhile, I felt myself drying out. My tail flicked around restlessly. I needed more water, but knew I was not going to get it. I was stuck here at Blackbeard's mercy. Unfortunately, mercy was something that he did not possess. After a while, I fell asleep due to my weakened state and the fact that I was very tired.

I was awoken by my own name, "Syrena?"

Blinking awake, I saw none other than Philip! He was leaning over me and was fighting to undue the rope the bound me to the tree I was tied up against. Now fully awake, I murmured, "Philip! You're alright!"

"Yes," Philip said, glancing up and meeting my eyes.

I stared back at him with joy, very surprised that he had survived. Blood was on his chest, but he looked like he would be alright. Now that my bonds were gone, I was allowed to swim free in the tide pool. I swam up to Philip and murmured, "You came for me. Why?"

Philip returned my smile and replied simply, "You're different."

Tears of joy started to flow from my eyes. Without any warning, my arms were grabbed and the small flask was held up to my eye. It took me a moment to realize what was happening. My tear slid into the flask as I hissed and looked up to see the two zombies holding me captive. I immediately looked over at Philip with suspicion.

"Syrena, I had no part in this, I swear!" Philip protested, looking horrified.

The flask was given to Blackbeard. He pocketed it with a smile, saying, "Tears of sorrow, never. Mermaids cry only from joy. I hear these are the more potent anyways."

Pleading forgiveness with his eyes, Philip said to Blackbeard, "Let her go, you don't need her now."

Blackbeard looked at me with a smirk and said, "Let her go? No." Turning to the zombie, he said, "Tie her down tight. Prepare to move out. We leave her with her own."

Philip protested, but was punched in the stomach and hauled away by the other zombie. I squeezed my eyes shut as the ropes bit into my flesh once again as I was tied to the tree. All I could do was stare helplessly as Philip and the others disappeared and I was left to dry out.

Days passed. I grew weaker and weaker. My heartbeats were very faint and I was having a hard time staying awake. I just couldn't bear it anymore. Philip was gone. There was nothing left for me. I let my eyes fall shut and let the darkness engulf me.

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_Review? :)  
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	37. The Fountain

_Hello all! How are you? I think there's only three more chapters left to this! :O This chapter is in Gillette's POV._

_**Hopeless-romance45: **She's off hunting sailors with Gemma and all the other mermaids. :)_

_**Sithlord8665: **I think she's in the next chapter! Thanks for reading. :3_

_**12DEHD:** Omg, I have that same problem. I am constantly rewriting and deleting stories. If I can make it through more than 10 chapters, I consider it a success. lol _

_**Lady Sybelle: **Yes, poor Syrena! Don't worry, I'll be updating frequently unless anything bad in RL happens. ;D_

_**CharlieCats: **Yeah, I guess Philip just wasn't thinking or something. =/ He seems kind of like an innocent guy who wouldn't think of Blackbeard plotting something though, you know? And that is true about how she could've saved him. I guess I'm just a pessimist in general. lol Are you an optimist?_

_**Kat: **Aw, thanks! I see everyone is missing Nerissa! lol Don't worry, she'll be in it soon! I saw it twice as well! I remember all the Gillette lines, but I think that's it! lol And yeah, a bit like the Little Mermaid! :) Thanks for reading!_

_**Knight Mistress: **Yes, poor Syrena. :( Thanks for reading!_

_**Ariel Lover: **Yeah, I do think what Barbossa was doing was very selfish! Because, I mean, he was the only one from his entire crew that survived, right? In my story, Barbossa wants the tear because he thinks he might as well have eternal life after killing Blackbeard, but since Nerissa escaped, he kind of gives up on that. lol Nerissa and Gillette will see each other again, but I don't think it will be a very happy ending. =/ Aw, thanks for your compliments. I honestly can't think of what could happen to Syrena and Philip though. To be honest, I'm not all that creative. My friend Hopeless-romance45 on here gives me most of the ideas, so credit goes to her!  
_

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**Chapter XXXV****I**_  
_

"Gillette, please..." Theo protested, looking down at me with a frown. "You can't give up just because of a woman. I know you loved her, but you can't ruin the rest of your life because of her. What about me? What would I do without my best friend? Please don't lose heart. Not yet. Find your courage!"

I gave Theodore a half-smile and said, "You sound like you're talking to crew when there were rumors about White Cap Bay."

Theodore smiled wryly and said, "Look, we've already lost most of our men. You can do this. We'll go back to Port Royal after this and all will be fine. You'll see. We just have to push on until we find the bloody fountain and are allowed to go home."

"Theo, I don't have any wish to go back home," I admitted. "I just want Nerissa's forgiveness. I'd do anything for a second change with her. You have no idea how much I want her forgiveness."

Theodore frowned and gave me a look like I was crazy. He pointed to my wounds and said in a slow voice as if he were talking to a daft child, "Gillette, look what Nerissa did to you. She almost killed you! I really don't think that you want her back."

"Yes, I do!" I said stubbornly. "Don't tell me what I do or do not want, Theo!"

Theodore was going to protest, but stopped. He looked behind him as clunking footsteps could be heard in the distance. Theodore got to his feet and motioned for me to do the same, saying, "The captain is back. Quick, get dressed. I don't think he'd react well to being held up. You know how he is."

I did know how he was even more than Theo knew. Nodding, I pointed to my waistcoat and asked Theodore, "Can you hold that up for me while I dress? I'd prefer not to have an audience."

"Yes, of course," Theodore said, holding it up as a barrier.

I got to my feet and shivered as I collected my clothes. It was so cold going from the water to the air in only a few minutes.

"Hurry!" a voice hissed at me, "My god...!"

Looking up, I saw that Theodore was staring wide-eyed at my body. I knew he was gaping at the cuts and bruises. They weren't healing up at all. In fact, I thought they might actually look worse.

"Theo!" I whispered back. "Don't stare at me naked!"

"Sorry," Theodore quickly apologized, looking away, "It's just..."

"Yes, the cuts, I know," I replied as I tugged on my breeches, stockings, shoes, and shirt. Theodore tossed me my coat and jacket. I pulled them on as well before cramming on my hat and wig.

Peering around Theodore, I saw that Barbossa had returned with a pirate. I remembered him. His name was Jack Sparrow and he had given Theodore and me quite a bit of trouble back in Port Royal. What was Barbossa doing siding with a pirate? I decided that I didn't want to know the answer to that.

"We be headin' to the Spanish's camp to retrieve the silver chalices," Barbossa said before waving us along. As usual, Theodore, the rest of the men, and I all followed Barbossa like slaves following their master. Jack Sparrow walked up in the front of the group by Barbossa. Gibbs hurried up to his side and started chatting with him.

"Looks like we're traveling with a group of pirates," I hissed in Theodore's ear.

Theodore shot a look at the masters in front of us and shrugged sadly. He didn't dare speak so close to Barbossa. He was probably being smart, but I didn't care anymore. If I died, I died. It just didn't matter.

Luckily, we reached the Spanish's camp quite quickly. Barbossa pointed for us to hide behind the trees while he pointed to the camp and said, "Wait here fer me signal."

I watched Jack and Barbossa lope off before I leaned against a tree and said to Theodore, "Something doesn't feel quite right here. I have a feeling that something bad is about to happen."

"I was having that same feeling actually," Theodore replied with a frown. He went to a stream nearby, ripped off part of his stocking and dipped it into the water before returning to me. Having no idea what he was up to, I raised my eyebrow when he came back. Theodore pulled my sleeve back and started dabbing at my scratches and wounds.

"Good god, what are you doing?" I asked him in shock.

"I'm not going back to Port Royal alone," Theodore said firmly, dabbing at my cuts. "I will not say that my best friend died because he had a romantic affair with a mermaid."

"It wasn't an affair," I said, wincing as Theodore dabbed at my cuts. "I loved her."

"Yes, that's quite apparent," Theodore said. He scanned around the group to make sure nobody was listening before he leaned towards me and whispered, "Look, Gillette. We're surrounded by pirates. I need you to make it through this with me."

I sighed and remained silent the rest of the time while Theodore bandaged my wounds. After that, we sat and waited for Barbossa's signal. No signal came. Even three hours later, there was still no signal. Theodore was starting to get jumpy, but I was feeling alright. If Barbossa died, we would be able to go back to Port Royal, right? Well, we'd have to find a ship first, but after that we could go back to our homes.

"It's been a long time," Theodore said anxiously, stepping from foot to foot.

"Has it?" I asked without concern. "I don't see why you care so much."

Theodore sighed and replied, "I just want to find the bloody Fountain and go home. You know that. Wait here, I'm going to go see if I can find Barbossa."

"What? Why would you do that?" I asked in surprise. "Can't we just leave him?"

"It's our duty to remain with our captain," Theodore chastised. "Wait here."

I'm not sure what made Theodore think I was going to wait. I followed him quietly as he crept through the brush. Shouts were coming from the opposite side of the camp. We could see Jack Sparrow causing some sort of ruckus with the Spanish officers. Barbossa was tied to a tree. I would've just have left him there, but Theodore remained firm.

I watched him discard his wig and step forwards to Barbossa's side. He sawed through the rope binding him to the tree and whispered, "I figured that was the signal."

The two snuck back to the camp, Theodore shouting to us, "Prepare to move out!"

A moment later, Jack Sparrows joined us with a big grin on his face. I pursed my lips, but refrained from comment. He and Barbossa whispered for a few minutes before the two men parted ways.

"We aren't far now," Barbossa informed us. "Forward!"

As we started trudging after Barbossa, I wondered how many times he had said "forward" or "more sails" or something of the like. I figured it had to have been at least fifty times. As I was thinking all of this, Theodore looked at me out of the corner of his eye and whispered, "We're almost to the Fountain."

"Yes," I whispered back as a thought occurred to me. "But we don't have the mermaid tear or the silver chalices."

Theodore narrowed his eyes and murmured, "I don't think Barbossa is after the Fountain of Youth."

Sighing, I shook my head and replied, "Neither do I."

We took a few steps forwards and were suddenly engulfed in mist and fog. I could barely see Theodore ahead of me. A strange sound was meeting my ears. I could also hear voices in the distance. Frowning, Theodore and I stepped out of the fog and into a beautiful alcove. There was indeed a fountain surrounded my lush, leafy green brush. This was certainly the Fountain of Youth.

Surprisingly enough, there were already people there. My eyes widened when I recognized the infamous pirate Blackbeard there along with Jack Sparrow and some other crew members. Bloody hell, now we were going to have to fight for the Fountain.

Barbossa stepped into the clearing with Theodore on one of his sides and me on his other. Barbossa clunked forwards and spoke to Blackbeard, ordering, "I arrest you in the name of King George and also for personal satisfaction for murder, torture of the most brutal kind, and the theft of one hairy left leg."

Suddenly, something was as clear as daylight to me. We weren't here to claim the Fountain of Youth for England. No, we were here so Barbossa could arrest Blackbeard. No doubt this would end in a fight with everyone getting killed save for Barbossa perhaps. I bit my lower lip and stood firm. Theodore was right; Barbossa was our master and we would fight with him until the end.

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	38. Dying

_Hello everyone, sorry for taking so long to update this. Ugh, it's raining a lot here this morning and I have a dentist appointment that I'd rather not go to. For some reason, my teeth are never white. I suppose now might be a good time to use some white strips. :P Anyways, this chapter starts out in Gillette's POV, goes to Nerissa's, and then Syrena's. Hope you like it!_

_**Flik: **Glad you liked the chapter! And aw, I know what you mean about the cleaning the room thing! My mom is always on my case about that. *rolls eyes* Sorry about not emailing back yet, I'll do that after the dentist. My cousins were here all day yesterday and I've been kinda busy._

_**CharlieCats: **That part is funny and I actually wrote it in. lol I like the way Scrum is nodding along with Jack and stuff, wasn't that funny? And yep, you will see Nerissa back in this chapter. Being an optimist is good. Mom says I complain all the time and I blame it on my pessimism. :P_

_**Kat: **Yes, they were very loyal to the end! *sobs* I hate this part in the movie. And lol, yeah, that was a funny sentence from Barbossa. Thanks for saying that! I'm really pleased that people are still reading this. :)_

_**Lady Sybelle: **That's totally okay, but I'm glad you're still reading! Hope you like this chapter. :3_

_**David: **I feel bad for him too...you'll get your answer in this chapter. :)_

_**Knight Mistress: **Here's the next chapter! :D_

_**FreakOfNature: **Wow, first of all, I just want to say that you SO much for such a nice review. I honestly don't think I've gotten an all positive one from this fic before. A lot of people don't like the smut or Gillette or Nerissa, etc. Thanks so much for saying that you love my writing style. That really means a lot to me! :) And lol, so I'm making you hate Barbossa? hehe You have not bored me at all, on the other hand, I LOVE long reviews. Thanks for taking the time to read all this and I hope you continue to like it! :D  
_

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**Chapter XXXVII**

_"Death, the one appointment we must keep, and for which no time is set._**"  
**

Blackbeard stared at us as if we were a joke. His hand went to his belt and he drew his sword. It glittered ominously despite the fog that engulfed the Fountain. I gulped, but stayed firm.

"You dare face this sword?" Blackbeard asked with raised eyebrows.

"This far away from yer ship? Aye," Barbossa said, hand going to his sword.

Blackbeard's eyes glinted evilly as he took a step forwards and said, "Fate has said I will die by your hand, but by god, I'll have one last fight. Kill them all!"

At that command, we all drew our swords and prepared for battle. I wasn't sure how fair this fight was. After all, we were here to claim the Fountain of Youth, not to fight with Blackbeard. Then again, in order to claim the Fountain, we would probably have to fight Blackbeard anyways.

Before anyone could actually start fighting, a voice called, "Hang on! Wait a second!"

Everyone paused and looked up to see Jack Sparrow. He smiled at everyone and said, "I just need to get something straight a second. You will fight him so that he can kill him?"

"You" obvious stood for Barbossa's men, "him" stood for Blackbeard, and "he" stood for Barbossa. I had to admit that Sparrow was making some sense. I didn't want to fight just to kill Blackbeard, but then again, it was our duty to claim the Fountain for the King.

"Where is the sense?" Jack Sparrow continued on, echoing my thoughts. "Why don't we all sit back, have a drink, or place some bets and let the two fight each other?"

Truth be told, it was a smart plan just to have Barbossa fight Blackbeard. Yet, I had a feeling that Barbossa wasn't going to agree to this. One of Blackbeard's men had already thrown down his sword, but an evil smile was flitting around Barbossa's mouth. He smirked and yelled, "Kill 'em all!"

The fight commenced. The clashing of swords and shots of pistols rang out everywhere. Men were falling in every directions, the heavy thuds of their bodies smashing into the rocks that littered the ground. I tried to keep an eye out for Theo to make sure he was alright, but everyone was just a whirl of color.

I got so distracted looking for Theo that someone kicked me in the shin and sent me toppling to the ground. Knowing that I was in the most helpless position possible, I stumbled back to my feet and felt pain in my right arm. Even as I was fighting to the death, Nerissa's cuts reminded me of the girl I had loved so much.

Telling myself that now was really not the time to think about Nerissa, I got to my feet and started fighting again. My right arm felt heavy and slow as I fought a man who was standing behind Barbossa. The pain in my whole upper half was starting to get very distracting. I noticed a man with dirty blonde hair get stabbed from somewhere to my right. I couldn't help but flinch; I never liked seeing suffering.

The man looked around with pain-filled blue eyes before hobbling out of the clearing as if he had something to do or someone to attend to. I was still busy fighting the man behind Barbossa when there was a sudden rippling sensation in my chest. There was a moment in which I didn't feel anything.

Suddenly, pain exploded in my chest. It took my breath away and caused me to bite my lip hard enough so that it bled. Screaming filled my mind. Looking down I saw that Blackbeard had run a sword through me. I couldn't breathe, think, or feel. The screaming was growing louder and louder. It was as if my whole body was going to split in half.

Knowing that I was dying, I crashed forwards, right into Barbossa. I couldn't see Barbossa's face since my vision was blurring, but I could feel him shove me to the ground and hiss, "Get it off of me!"

I supposed I should be grateful that I landed on the ground instead of one of the many tide pools that surrounded the Fountain. Nonetheless, I knew I was dying. It wouldn't be long until I took my last breath. My thoughts were in a clutter and I wasn't able to breathe as I watched the crimson blood pour from my chest.

Even though my mind was swimming, one thing came clearly into my head: Nerissa. I loved her so much. I wanted to see her once more before I died, but knew that would be impossible. Hoping beyond hopes that she could hear me, I spoke to her in my mind and whispered, "I'm so sorry, Nerissa. I never meant to hurt you. I love you so much. Please forgive me..."

With that, I closed my eyes and let the tunnel of blackness suck me away.

**Nerissa**

I had changed ever since Gillette had freed me from Barbossa's ship. My kind nature had disappeared and had left my heart cold and hard. I helped Gemma attack ships and drown sailors. Not a smidgen of mercy was shown to the sailors that we took to the bottom of the ocean and drowned.

In each sailor, I saw only Barbossa. When I sank my teeth deep into their flesh, I imagined that I was ripping Barbossa to pieces. I wanted to hear him scream and yell. It was he who had torn my life apart. He had stolen my innocence, taken me from my lover, made me do terrible things, and was the reason I now felt like I was in a living hell.

I had calmed down a bit since Gillette had stabbed me. Now I saw that he had only done it to save us both. If he had allowed Barbossa to kill him, he would've died and Barbossa would've killed me. By stabbing me and not killing me, Gillette had actually saved my life. Of course, only now did I take the time to realize this.

Perhaps this was why I had taken to ripping out sailor's throats. I was ashamed and unable to face Gillette because of Barbossa. I had almost killed him. He might already be dead because of me.

I swam around in haunted circles when I suddenly heard a voice in my head.

_Nerissa, please forgive me. Please. I only meant to help you. I love you so much..._

I could swear that was Gillette's voice in my head. Before I could feel his emotions, but now I could actually hear his words. His voice had been weak and he had been panting. I could feel our bond breaking...my god, he was dying.

I couldn't believe this was happening. All I knew was that I had to find him. Luckily, I was not far away from the pools that led to the Fountain of Youth. After I had returned to the mermaid cove in White Cap Bay, Gemma had told me all about the Fountain. Now I knew exactly where to go and how to get there.

Without hesitation, I pumped my tail up and down and sent water spiraling behind me as I went to the Fountain of Youth. Even before I reached it, I could hear the clinking sound of sword hitting sword and the screams of innocent men. There was certainly a fight taking place. After only a few more minutes, I appeared in one of the outward pools that encircled the Fountain.

It appeared as if Barbossa's men were fighting pirates. My eyes searched the clearing for Gillette. Where was he? He hadn't been trampled yet, had he? My heart raced and thudded ominously against my ribcage. Suddenly, all fighting ceased. Looking up, I saw an army of Spanish officers stepping into the clearing. What were they doing here?

The man I recognized as Gillette's fellow officer and friend suddenly ran onto the rocks with the flag of England in his arms and started out, "This land is hereby claimed by England-"

A shot broke the air. The man crumpled and tumbled to the ground in a pool of blood. The man who was obviously the Spanish leader stepped forwards and said, "Someone make a note of that man's bravery."

Scared that this same fate might have fallen Gillette, I scanned the clearing for him frantically. The Spanish leader walked towards a woman holding two silver chalices, yanked them out of her arms and kicked them into a nearby tide pool. I couldn't hear what he was saying mainly because I was too concerned about Gillette to hear anything else.

My eyes finally focused on a crumpled figure lying by Barbossa. Blood spilled from the man's chest and his face was expressionless. Scared, I slipped under the water and resurfaced by the man's side. It was Gillette. A sword had been pulled through his heart and he wasn't breathing. Panicking, I tried to get him to look at me and prayed for him to be alright.

As I tried to meet his eyes and speak to him with my mind, pain exploded in my shoulder. Looking behind me, I saw that Barbossa had thrown a small knife at me. It had landed in my back. My vision was going blurry. Using most of my strength, I ripped the knife out of my back and tossed it on one of the rocks.

From what seemed like miles away, I heart the Spanish leader ordering for "This profane temple to be destroyed". Barbossa didn't have time to make sure I was dead. He retreated along with most of the men. I saw Barbossa approaching Blackbeard, sword in hand, but I didn't care. All that mattered was my sailor.

Head spinning, I hauled Gillette into the water with me so that nothing would fall on him. I retreated to the original tide pool I had been swimming in and kissed his forehead, murmuring, "Gillette...please! Talk to me. Say something. You cannot die..."

Even as I said this, my own breath was turning into a pant and my vision swam before my eyes. I was dying too. We would die together. Barbossa must've poisoned the blade of his knife. I could tell something about it was strange. Typically, a little cut from a knife wouldn't have had this strong of an effect on me.

"Gillette," I begged one more time as the world tilted before my eyes. "I love you."

**Syrena**

My throat was parched, my eyes closed, and my body burning. I had been left behind to die and was almost ready to fall into the clutches of death. My eyes were puffy from sorrow. The only image in my mind was Philip. What had become of him? Was he alright? Had he planned to trick me into giving him a tear?

I did not know and could not think. Something was dragging me down, down, down...

From very far away, I felt a touch on my cheek. Someone cried my name, "Syrena!"

Even though I was too weak to respond, I could feel the ropes tying my wrists together being slit. The voice whispered, "Syrena, wake up! Please! You will not take her. If you have taken her, you will give her back!"

The voice in my ear was all too familiar. I felt a rush of energy and opened my eyes to stare into Philip's bright blue ones as he brushed a hand over my hand and over my lips.

I wanted to stay and speak to him, but there was something strange in the back of my mind. It was Nerissa. She was dying.

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_Okay, so only one chapter and the epilogue left. I'd LOVE to hear what you guys think is going to happen in the last chapter. ;3 Review? :)  
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	39. Trickery

_Hi everyone! Anyone have plans for the weekend? It's suppose to rain here. *grumbles* So I'll probably spend the whole weekend cleaning. Fun, fun! :P This chapter starts in Syrena's POV and because I'm feeling nice, I'm going to let her and Philip have a happy ending. lol  
_

_**Knight Mistress: **Thanks, I decided that could be something they share because of their bond. :)_

_**CharlieCats: **Yeah, at least they didn't die mad at each other. lol And I know! I thought it was so weird that Syrena just randomly left Philip to help Jack. It didn't make much sense, did it? =/ Yeah, I always lol at Scrum there. I think that's his funniest part in the movie. Really? Well, I complain all the time and when I' facing big problems, I just complain twice as much. xD I agree about the dentist! They told me I did a bad job brushing and made my teeth bleed! :(_

_**David: **Eh...I dunno if you'd consider this a happy ending. I'd say it's not as depressing as the other one though. Speaking of which, what did you think of that fic? I got a lot of bad comments on it. lol_

_**12DEHD: **Ooo, that's very close! Did you like read my mind or something? :P You'll see what happens in this chapter!_

_**FreakOfNature: **Oh, don't worry, I LOVE long reviews! :) And that quote from Will is perfect! hehe Lol, so you're a Barbossa fan then? :P Yeah, I didn't realize that either until I watched it for the second time and after that, I strongly disliked Blackbeard whereas before I thought he was funny. lol Thanks for saying that you liked what I did with Syrena and Philip! :D Yes, the dentist is awful! I feel like I'm always there or at the orthodontist. lol_

_**Lady Sybelle: **Yes, lots of POVs in these chapters lately! Aw, do you need another tissue? *offers one*  
_

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**Chapter XXXVIII**

Without a moment's hesitation, I turned and whipped under the water. I was weak, but I had to do something to save my sister. I didn't know where she was, but my senses could lead me to her. Nerissa was like my other half. I could sense whenever she was in trouble, in danger, and wherever she was at that particular moment.

I whipped my tail up and down as quickly as I could. My senses led me straight and true. A few moments later, I found myself swimming up to a tide pool. As I surfaced, a gasp slipped from my mouth. This was the Fountain of Youth!

Well, it wouldn't be much of a Fountain much longer. It was being destroyed. Stones were crumbling, men were falling, and people in the distance were being crushed. No matter though, I only had to find Nerissa.

I found her after a few moments. She was clinging to her sailor in a tide pool. Blood was dripping out of her shoulder. Just by looking at her, I could tell she had been poisoned. The wound was small, but the poison had already entered her blood. As I stared at her in dismay and shock, I could see the small flask that had contained my tear. It had fallen by the edge of a nearby tide pool.

My blood boiled for a few minutes. How dare Blackbeard be so careless with my tear? As anger simmered through my veins, I caught sight of the two silver chalices floating in the tide pool adjacent to the flask.

An idea came to me. What if I retrieved the chalices, put my tear in one of them, and then filled them with water from the Fountain? I could have Nerissa and her sailor each drink from one chalice. Obviously, I would take the chalice with the tear and give that one to Nerissa. I could not save her and her sailor. She would have to take the rest of his life in order to live or vise versa.

I ducked under water and swam to the chalices, being careful to avoid the falling objects that seemed to be exploding all around me. Gripping the chalices tightly, I swam to the remainders of the Fountain and managed to retrieve a few water droplets. Hoping that you didn't need a certain amount of water for the ritual to work, I swam back to the flask and dumped the tear into one of the chalices.

I had to be careful during this. If someone saw me, hell that had already broken loose would turn into a nightmare. Taking a deep breath, I swam to the pool that Nerissa and her sailor were in. A frown crossed my lips; Nerissa's sailor looked dead. The ritual would not work if he was already dead.

As I swam to the couple with the chalices in my hand, I realized just how great of a bond Nerissa had with this man. She was cradling him in her arms and was holding him so tightly that it looked like she never intended to let him go.

"Nerissa," I spoke to her urgently. "Is he dead yet?"

"Syrena?" Nerissa asked in surprise before she put her hand over her sailor's chest. After a moment, she looked up and said, "No, not quite, but almost. What are those?"

"Silver chalices," I explained, ducking as a tree smashed to the ground an inch away from my head. "You must drink this and make him drink this one."

Nerissa took the chalices from me, looking slightly suspicious. I wished she would just hurry up and drink from it. Her sailor was dying. If he died, Nerissa would die too.

"What is in this? How does the ritual work?" Nerissa asked, peering into the chalices.

I spoke without thinking, murmuring, "One takes life and the other one gives life. You need only drink. Please, sister, do not wait too long."

Nerissa hesitated before pointing to the chalice that she was suppose to drink from, saying, "So this one takes life and the other one gives? I am giving my life for my sailor, no?"

I started to speak, but then quickly shut my mouth. Nerissa wanted to save her sailor. She wanted to give her life to him. It was a beautiful thing, a wonderful bond that they had, but I could not let Nerissa do that. For the first time ever, I lied to my sister and said, "Yes. Please drink, Nerissa."

Nerissa blinked and then nodded. She took the chalice and drank the water with the tear before turning to her sailor. Nerissa adjusted him in her arms and poured the water from the other chalice down his throat.

"I love you. Live and be happy," Nerissa said, laying her head on his shoulder.

I felt guilty, but this was how it had to be. I would not loose my sister and save a man who had hurt her. Unfortunately, that was not how Nerissa wanted things. She would figure out what I had done only when it was too late. That was something I was grateful for.

There was a few moments where nothing happened. Was the ritual a myth? Would Nerissa and her sailor die? I started to panic, but suddenly noticed that the wound on Nerissa's back was closing up. The man in her arms slumped, his dark brown eyes glazing. I knew he was dead, but Nerissa did not.

I could see she was getting stronger. Her eyes became clearer and color came into her cheeks. She looked confused as her eyes focused on the corpse in her arms. I could see her mind spinning. Suddenly, her eyes flashed and she whipped towards me. She searched my face and gasped, "How could you? You told me you were saving him and you just made me take the life of my own lover!"

"I had to," I explained, trying to make her understand. "You were going to die. You know how much I love you. I could not let my own sister die. Please try and understand, Nerissa. Please?"

Nerissa didn't look like she would ever understand. She grabbed the body of her sailor, clung to him, and would have been crying if mermaids could cry from sorrow. Since we can not, she could only choke.

At this point, I saw no reason to stay. I had saved my sister, but had unintentionally ruined her life. My conscious battled with me; had I done the right thing?

Unable to keep mulling this over, I flipped myself under the surface of the water and flicked my tail fin as I swam away. From the back of my mind, I could feel pain. It was Philip.

Hoping that I was not too late for him, I swam back to where I had come from. I remembered how Philip had been hurt. He had been stabbed in the chest. I knew of ways to help him, but he would have to accept help.

I hurriedly swam back to the tide pool where Philip had found me, praying that it wouldn't be too late. When I surfaced there, Philip was kneeling by the pool, splashing water onto his chest. I sighed with relief. He was still alive.

"Philip," I breathed, enjoying the sound of his name on my lips.

"Syrena! You came back. All was lost and now you are here," Philip replied, eyes sparkling as he peered down at me.

My lips curved into a smile as I realized he was happy to see me. Placing my hand over his, I spoke, "Philip, I can save you. You need only ask."

"I seek but one thing," Philip breathed, smiling despite the fact that blood was spilling from his chest.

I swam in front of him in the pool and looked up at him with understanding eyes as I pressed, "And what is that?"

"Forgiveness. Were it not for me, you would never have been captured," Philip told me, his eyes imploring his meaning.

"Ask," I pressed, ready to save him.

"Forgive me," Philip murmured.

I had forgiven him a long time ago, but now our minds seemed to lock as our bond grew firm. I reached up and encircled Philip's neck with my arms. Pressing a soft kiss to his lips, I pulled him down into the water with me and started swimming to the depths. I was going to save Philip. I now knew how Nerissa had felt. Philip was my sailor; I would do anything for him.

**Nerissa**

Gillette was dead. Syrena had tricked me into taking the rest of his life to save myself. I couldn't believe it. That moment when I felt Gillette's heart stop had been the worst of my life.

I had tugged his body under the water with me and had swam to the nearest beach. Once there, I laid his body on the sand and crawled up onto the sand next to him. It didn't matter that I was naked since there was nobody to see me. It didn't seem right to bury Gillette in a blood-stained jacket, so I went ahead and stripped it away. Underneath, I saw horrible wounds and cuts.

"Lord, forgive me..." I gasped as I realized that Gillette had probably died partially because of me. The wounds I had given him had no doubt weakened him and made him an easy target. How could I have been so stupid?

I leaned down and kissed every one of his wounds before putting my lips to his cold ones one last time. I knew he was dead, but I didn't seem able to let him go quite yet. My heart's grip on him was so strong. I wanted to hold him and love him for the rest of eternity.

My mind brought me to past memories. I remembered when we had met and how I had rescued Gillette from drowning only to accidentally have killed him. Pushing that thought aside, I instead remembered when we had talked on the beach and our first kiss. I remembered our bond growing stronger and stronger until we had made love.

For a few moments, I closed my eyes and let my mind wander back to those moments. I imagined Gillette's body was locked with mine, his warm breath on my neck while I cried out for him and held him close.

I choked at the thought and started digging a hole in the sand. My eyes flashed and I took out my anger on the sand, digging through it rapidly until I had formed a hole large enough for Gillette's body. Now I really did have to let him go.

I crawled to him in the sand. Leaning over his body, I shut his eyelids for the last time and murmured, "Goodbye, Gillette. I will be with you soon and then we will be together always."

Sighing, I laid his body into the hole and looked at him. Once again, I found myself procrastinating on what had to be done. I randomly grabbed his wig and tossed it off so I could see his shiny red hair one last time. Biting my lip, I covered his body with sand and just sat looking at where his body had been moments before.

Finally, I returned to the sea with only one word on my mind; revenge. I would swim back to White Cap Bay and lie in wait.

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_Review? :)  
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	40. My Revenge

_Hi guys! Okay, so I accidentally lied. I have one more chapter left and then the epilogue. :P The rest of the story is in Nerissa's POV._

_**Sithlord8665: **You're definitely right about her revenge being on a certain captain...=P_

_**Knight Mistress: **Thanks! I tried to make it interesting. Hope you like this chapter. :)_

_**12DEHD: **There are two Davids actually. lol And yep, her revenge will be on Barbossa not Syrena. And don't worry, I'm not quite done yet! :D_

_**Lady Sybelle: **Aw, don't cry! *hugs* Well...they won't be reunited again, no. This is pretty much all about Nerissa's revenge._

_**Flik: **That's totally okay. Thanks so much for continuing to read it. Will you be updating HP soon? :P_

_**CharlieCats: **Yeah, it was pretty bad of Syrena to trick Nerissa, but I think it was something she would do if it was necessary, you know? And hm, I didn't think about that, but I guess Angelica would die! What did you think of her, btw? Scrum was funny, especially the part where he got caught in the fishing net and was all like "I'm in love!" lol Hey, that's cool about hearing Philip's voice! He does have a nice voice. :) Your mom must be nice! If I have an appointment, I am pretty much forced to go. *rolls eyes*_

_**FreakofNature: **I always say the longer, the better. hehe Yes, Will's quote was perfect there! So, I'm curious, who's your favorite Potc character then? Blackbeard did have some good lines, yes. I liked his banter with Philip and their religious talk, that was kind of funny. xD I didn't know Blackbeard actually said that line in real life either! Nerissa will want revenge on Barbossa, I just can't see her turning against her sister, you know? Haha, yes, I put off those kinds of appointments too! Actually, I procrastinate in almost everything. *blushes* Thanks for reading! _

_**(): **I'm glad you liked it and thought it has potential. Yes, I know that part is kind of creepy, but it was suppose to be that way to make Barbossa look evil.  
_

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**Chapter XXXIX**

_"Hunger, revenge, to sleep are petty foes, But only death the jealous eyes can close."_

I went back to White Cap Bay, changed once again. Only now did I realize how wrong I had been to accuse Gillette of trying to murder me. All he had been trying to do was save my life. I had been so sure that my situation was like Marina's and that Gillette had only been trying to use my body. Now I knew better. I knew that I had mistreated an innocent man and was part of the reason for his death.

Instead of being cold and hard, my heart ached and was filled with sorrow. I still couldn't believe Syrena had made me take Gillette's life so that I could life. If I had been aware of how the ritual worked, I would never have let such a thing happen. Speaking of Syrena, I had not seen her for quite some time. She probably knew better than to get too close to me.

As I swam towards White Cap Bay, I saw Gillette's deathly still body and glazed eyes once again in my mind. I remembered the way he used to search my eyes and the way our bodies and minds could connect. Like Marina had said, there is only one sailor out there for you. I would love Gillette until I was dead and never glance again in a merman's direction.

As I entered the cove of White Cap Bay, I was very surprised to see none other than Marina sitting on a rock in a secluded area. There was a school of fish surrounding her as usual, but what I found odd was the fact that she had left her home in Port Royal.

Curious as to see what she was doing here, I swam up to her and asked cautiously, "Marina?"

The school of fish surrounding her scattered and Marina glanced up at me. A small smile curved her lips as she tucked dark brown hair behind her ears and replied, "Nerissa, what a surprise to find you here."

"I was about to say the same to you," I replied. "I didn't expect to find you here."

"Nor did I expect to end up here," Marina replied, "Evil men came to Port Royal. They started hunting us. I had no choice but to leave. Most of the mermaids came here and so I decided to follow them. What of you, Nerissa?"

"What of me?" I asked in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Marina smiled kindly at me and asked, "How did you end up here?"

"Oh," I said, looking at the pebbled ocean floor. "I followed my sailor here."

"Ah, I should have guessed," Marina said, a knowing look in her eyes. "May I ask how that turned out?"

My jaw stiffened and another throb of pain and agony pounded in my chest. Biting my lip, I tried to keep my quavering voice steady as I replied, "I killed him." It was true; I had stolen Gillette's life. It had not been intentional, yet it had been done just the same.

"Humans and mermaids do not mix," Marina murmured sympathetically. "I only wish I could have warned you before you marked your sailor. Mermaid and sailor relationships never end well."

I nodded and gave her a sad smile before swimming off into the distance. I had to admit that she was right. Humans and mermaids were not meant to be together. They simply didn't mix.

As I swam away, I planned my next few moves. I would alert Gemma about the ship that would imminently pass through White Cap Bay. Since Gemma was the mermaid leader, she could alert the rest of our group of the ship. Then, when it passed by, we would attack it. I didn't just want to attack the ship though. I wanted revenge on one man in particular.

Lips pursed as I thought about the man who had stolen part of me, I appeared in a little grove of kelp. Gemma was talking with Coral, the mermaid I recognized as Syrena's friend. To my utmost surprise, there was a third figure there. It was Zale. He and Gemma were holding hands and were clearly partners. I wished I could disappear, but I figured it was too late. All three figures were already looking at me in surprise.

"Nerissa!" Zale said in shock. "It's so good to see you again. I never thought I would hear your voice again!"

Zale swam up to me, gave me a hug, leaned forwards to kiss me, and then thought better of it as he noticed how stiff I was.

"Hello Zale," I replied coolly. Glancing at Gemma, I said to Zale, "I see you've found a new partner. I am glad to see you happy." Turning to Gemma, I said, "There is a ship I want to warn you of. It will be traveling through White Cap Bay in the next day or so. Could you alert the rest of the mermaids of this ship?"

A twisted smile crossed Gemma's face and she rose her eyebrows in surprise, saying, "You shock me everyday, Nerissa. I do remember the day when you would actually go rescuing sailors while the rest of us went on a hunt. It sounds so silly now, doesn't it? Anyways, of course I will alert the other mermaids. This is a large ship, no?"

"Very large," I confirmed. "It will take all of us to bring her down."

"I see," Gemma replied, eyes sparkling with excitement. "Very well then. I will go alert the mermaids at once."

I watched Gemma and Coral swim off, realizing that I was now left alone with Zale. Not sure if this was a good thing or bad thing, I gulped and looked at the ocean floor, unsure of what to say or do.

Zale, on the other hand, was still acting overjoyed to see me. He waved me over to a nearby rock and sat down on it next to me. I flicked my green tail a bit irritably as I waited for Zale to speak. I wondered what he wanted to talk to me about.

"I've really missed you, Nerissa," Zale said, searching my face. "What happened to you while we were apart?"

Not sure how much I wanted to tell Zale, I bit my lip and finally murmured, "Lots. I was taken captive. The captain of the ship tortured me. His name is Hector Barbossa."

Zale thought about this for a moment. Comprehension flooded his eyes and he said, "This is why you're going after this ship, isn't it? This is the reason why you wanted Gemma to alert the other mermaids of the ship."

"Yes," I replied with a nod. "I will not rest until Barbossa is dead."

Zale looked sad as he thought of me being abused. He scooted closer to me on the rock and put his arm around me. I let him go that far, but if he made another move, I would stop him.

Zale stayed silent for a bit, but finally could not keep his silence much longer. Taking a deep breath, he risked a question, "Nerissa, what happened to you and your sailor? Did you ever find him?"

"I did," I replied quietly.

Unable to stay silent, Zale continued on, "May I ask what happened?"

Most of me wanted to say no, that he could not ask what happened. Then again, this was Zale and I couldn't be rude to him. Sighing, I repeated my story again and whispered quietly, "He is dead. I did not intentionally kill him, but it happened nonetheless."

Zale's eyes widened when I told him this. We were both quiet for a long moment. I noticed Zale sitting even closer to me. Finally, Zale whispered to me, "I know this is very hard for you, Nerissa, and I am very sorry." There was another moment of silence before he added, "I like being with Gemma, but I've always liked you more..."

Zale tentatively reached up and ran a hand through my coppery hair, brushing it back behind my shoulder. There had been a time when Zale and I had been intimate as far as intimacy goes with mermaids and mermen. Yet, I found myself blushing and looking away with shame as Zale looked at my naked upper half.

His eyes went to the scar on my breast and pointed out in surprise, "You're hurt!"

I still had scar on my breast from where Gillette had technically saved my life by stabbing me. Despite the fact that mermaids healed very quickly, I had done nothing to try and heal my wound. The result of that was a light pink scar on my chest.

Zale reached forwards to touch my wound, but I flipped my hair back over my chest and exchanged a look with Zale. We spoke with our eyes. I told him that I couldn't be with him again the way we had used to be together. Zale looked sad, but accepted my decision without complaint.

"Take care of yourself, Nerissa," he told me urgently. "Mermaid hunting can be dangerous."

I nodded and watched Zale swim away. It was the last time I would ever see him. After Zale left, I sat on the rock and waited. I waited for a whole day before I heard a noise in the distance. It was a gray, bleak morning. Adrenaline started rushing through my veins. Something told me that this was Barbossa's ship.

A moment later, Gemma swam up to me. We exchanged glances, both knowing that it was about time for the hunt to begin. Mermaids started to group together. My eyes widened as ten mermaids turned into one hundred. In the distance, we could see a ship coming towards us.

At Gemma's signal, all of us rushed at the ship and started tearing and clawing at the wooden sides. Some of the skilled mermaids like Gemma jumped out of the water and grabbed sailors from off the deck of the ship. Hell broke out on deck as sailors attempted to stab at us.

I sneered at their attempts to defend themselves and tore wood from the side of the ship. From somewhere nearby, I heard Gemma call, "Try and turn it over!"

All of us mermaids raced to one of the sides of the ship and tugged at it. It was beginning to rain. The sailors had even worse aim as they tried to shoot and stab us. Again, I found myself smirking at them. There was not a bit of sympathy in my heart for them.

All of us mermaids tugged at one side of the ship, ripping and tearing the side of it apart. The crew aboard the ship was no match for a hundred powerful mermaids. After swaying back and forth, the ship overturned and went sinking to the bottom of the ocean.

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	41. Epilogue

_Hello everyone! Well, here we are at the end! There's just the epilogue in this chapter. If any of you want to read my new fic called "A Mountain of Lies", I would be really grateful! To those who have already read it, thank you so much. :) This is in Nerissa's POV. Okay, so I replied to all the reviews and then FF decided to be mean and delete them all. I have to go to an appointment, so I don't have time to rewrite them, I'm sorry! Please read anyways. :) _

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**Epilogue**

_"A million words would not bring you back, I know because I've tried, neither would a million tears, I know I've cried."_

The ship was sunk, but there was one more thing I wanted to do before I died. I needed revenge on the man who had made my life a living hell. I scanned the cloudy waters for Hector Barbossa, trying to pick him out amongst the flailing sailors that surrounded me. Deep inside, I hoped no other mermaid would have a chance to drown him before I did. I wanted the pleasure of doing the dirty deed myself.

Pools of blood formed in the water as mermaids all around me bit into sailors' flesh. I bit my lip. It was going to be about impossible to pick out Barbossa amongst this large group of humans, wasn't it?

Just as I was thinking this, I noticed a man surfacing from somewhere next to me. There was a knife in his hand and he had only one leg. My lips curved into a wicked smile as I swam stealthily towards the man. Before I approached him, I prepared my attack. Just when the man started to turn, I grabbed his neck with one hand and his wrist with the other, forcing the knife out of his hand.

There was a small island just a little ways away. Deciding that would be the best place to do my dirty deed, I swam off in that direction with Barbossa in my grasp. My nails dug into his flesh, leaving trails of blood behind him in the water as I dragged him to the island.

Once we were on the island, I pushed him onto the sand and crawled up next to him. Barbossa blinked up at me, a diabolical expression on his face as he murmured, "Yer lad is dead. He be killed right in front of me."

My eyes flashed daggers; how dare Barbossa talk about my sailor's death with an evil smirk on his face. I immediately lashed out and grabbed his throat, sinking my fangs under his flesh. Barbossa yelled and then fell still. He wasn't dead, but was most likely unconscious. I didn't care. I was going to do this nice and slow and take my time.

I ripped Barbossa's clothing to shreds with my sharp fingernails. Next, I took my knife and started slashing it all over his body. Crimson blooded spurted out when my blade sank beneath the flesh. I slit his wrists, sank my fangs into his chest, and slashed through his sexual organ with my knife.

I was going crazy with bloodlust. I didn't know if Barbossa was alive or dead, but I didn't care. Looking over his mutilated, bleeding figure, I threw back my knife and slit his throat. Blood poured all over, staining the sand red. I laughed at his pain, smirked at his death, and left him there on the shore to rot. I'd let seagulls pick at his glazed eyes and feed at his pasty flesh.

Now that my purpose was complete, I returned to the water. I swam for a bit, working the adrenaline out of my body as I tried to soothe my racing heart. Finally, I came to an island. There was a palm tree by the edge of it. Perfect.

I ripped out some of my hair and tied my hands together. Then I tied myself to the tree. I was half in the water and half out of the water. Already the sun was beating down on my body, roasting me alive.

I stayed right there in that position for three days and three nights. It felt as if someone was setting my body on fire as I continued to fry in the scorching glare of the sun. Despite this, I thought of Gillette. I remembered the days and nights we spent together and the love that had bound us together for life. When I thought of this, my soul seemed to split. Without Gillette, I was nothing. He was my other half. Without him, I could not survive.

On the fourth day, the sun was exceedingly hot and was just enough to dehydrate me. I took one last, choking breath before closing my eyes. My heart stopped beating and I was no more than a mermaid who had fallen in love with a sailor, had murdered him, and then could not stand to live by herself.

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